Aussies ready to spoil the Kiwi party

The allure of New Zealand Cup Week is something else.

It’s so rare for Aussies to taste harness racing success over there and the past few days have underlined that.

Callmethebreeze’s trip is off and now Leap To Fame’s raid is in serious limbo.

There’s a good reason only two Aussie trained pacers have won the NZ Cup since 1987 … it’s not an easy thing to do.

It will make it even sweeter if we can snare a big win or two – hopefully even more – in that magical second week of November at Addington.

We sit and wait anxiously for tomorrow (Tuesday) and the next set of blood tests on Leap To Fame.

After an incident free first three years of racing, the past month has tested the patience of even his unflappable and experienced trainer-driver Grant Dixon.

A (very) precautionary blood test on Saturday stunned Dixon when it revealed an issue.

Now Leap To Fame’s (Bettor’s Delight) bloods MUST be spot-on tomorrow for him to make a late dash to Christchurch, via Auckland, next Sunday. That’s just two days before the NZ Cup.

Team Tubbs/Sugars is already safely in NZ and two of them – Better Eclipse and One Over All – step out at the picturesque Kaikoura Cup meeting today.

Just Believe (Orlando Vici) is sitting and waiting for Cup Week itself.

Then tomorrow Catch A Wave and Keayang Zahara board a flight from Melbourne to Christchurch, also via Auckland.

NZ Cup Week is as good as it gets, but to have strong Aussie flavour takes it to another level –for the Kiwis as much as us Aussies.

Let’s hope Leap To Fame gets the all-clear makes it one of, if not the greatest NZ Cup Week yet.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Victoria