Dixon to decide on Victoria Cup raid in two weeks

The Victoria Cup is “very likely” for Queensland harness racing star Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight), but trainer-driver Grant Dixon will reserve his final decision for another two weeks.

Leap To Fame produced the run of the race when he sat parked in blistering time and went down fighting for second to Encipher in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka last Saturday night.

The four-year-old has been back at Dixon’s Queensland stables for a few days and will have another easy week or so.

“He will tell me if we should take him to Victoria,” Dixon said. “You get to know your horses pretty well, and if he’s bouncing around his yard in a couple of weeks, he’ll tell me we should take him. Then I’ll chat with Kevin (Seymour, owner) about the logistics.

“These interstate trips do take a bit out of horses, so he will fly down and back if he goes.

“On one hand, there’s not much else between now and the Inter Dominion.

“But we’re also mindful of not doing anything to jeopardise his preparation for the Inter Dominion, which is in our backyard.

“He’s had some hard racing and tough runs over the past few months but seems well. Let’s see how he is in another two weeks.”

Back to the TAB Eureka and Dixon said he felt a mix of pride and deflation with second spot.

“It looked like our race to win, but you can’t expect any more from him,” he said.

“You wonder if I’d done anything differently, would it have changed the result, but I’m not to know that some horses would run below their best.

“It’s deflating when you do all the work and go so well but get beaten.

“And I’m mindful of how many times he has to do all the work in these big races.

“I’d love the chance to drive him with a sit as you would see how fast he can be, too. But he’s been having to make all the running lately because if he doesn’t, nothing else will.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness racing Australia