Big guns to lock horns at Redcliffe this Saturday

Harness racing’s two biggest guns Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) and Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) will lock horns again earlier than expected and deliver by far the biggest race Redcliffe has hosted.

In an absolute coup, connections of both superstars have confirmed they will tackle Saturday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Redcliffe Gold Cup.

Adding to the occasion, Leap To Fame will try to bounce back from one of the biggest shocks the sport has seen when rundown after leading in last Friday night’s Patrons Purse at Redcliffe.

It was Leap To Fame’s first defeat since November 4, last year and ended a rampaging 13-race winning streak, which included the Brisbane Inter Dominion final, Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile.

Leap To Fame and Swayzee – who are half-brothers – have met just twice and the scoreline is 1-1.

Swayzee shocked Leap To Fame in last year’s Blacks A Fake at Albion Park, then Leap To Fame turned the tables in the Brisbane Inter Dominion final on December 16.

Under the conditions of the Redcliffe Cup, Swayzee and Leap To Fame will share the maximum handicap of 20m on Saturday night.

In another twist, Swayzee, who has been so impressive winning twice at Menangle, was also beaten in his final lead-up race when narrowly rundown by stablemate Nerano in the Lucky Creed at Albion Park last Saturday night.

Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon certainly wasn’t panicking after last Friday’s shock defeat by Swayzee’s largely unheralded stablemate, District Attorney.

“I was surprised a horse could come off my back and beat me in the times we ran home in. I reckon you could run 100 more races like that at Redcliffe and a horse wouldn’t do it,” he said.

“I probably could’ve gone harder in front, but I didn’t know much about the winner, and you don’t want to turn every race into a war, especially early in a campaign.”

“It just goes to show they can all get beaten. We’ll have to regroup, and I’m sure he’ll get better with each run as he builds into his campaign.”

Dixon knows the enormity of the task this week.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets beaten again. Swayzee will be there, and we know what a great stayer he is, but I’m also wary of some nice horses getting big head starts on us, and the times they can run up front, making it so hard for us to catch them,” he said.

“But this is a must-race for us if we’re going to push ahead with plans to take him to the NZ Cup. He needs experience in a high-pressure standing start race like this.”

Leap To Fame’s only standing start saw him step away well and brilliantly win the Flashing Red at Albion Park on June 1.

Swayzee handled the standing start well last November when he became just the second Aussie-trained winner of the NZ Cup since 1987.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia