Kingman chasing more Kiwi glory

AUSTRALIA’S new pacing star Kingman (Always B Miki) still has unfinished business in New Zealand.

Fresh from winning last Tuesday’s iconic $1NZmil NZ Cup, Kingman has stayed in Christchurch to chase more Group 1 harness racing glory.

Luke McCarthy’s four-year-old drops back to racing against his own age in Friday night’s $125,000 Group 1 Christian Cullen at Addington.

“It just made sense to stay a bit longer once we were here and he went so well in the Cup,” owner Mick Harvey said.

“Luke said he’s come through the Cup really well and this race fits ideally with our plans.

“He’s going back to Sydney after this run for a bit of a break and then we switch focus to Victoria.”

Kingman will chase the new $1 million bonus on offer across six feature meetings in Victoria’s Summer of Glory.

The bonus will go to any pacer who can win at least four legs of the six races of  the “Cups” series, run from January 10 to February 14 at Bendigo, Shepparton, Ballarat, Cranbourne, Kilmore and Melton.

To land the bonus, the four legs must include the Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton on February 14.

When the series was launched, many felt it was a benefit for champion pacer Leap To Fame.

But Kingman has now beaten Leap To Fame on his merits at their past two meetings in the Victoria Cup (October 18) and NZ Cup.

Leap To Fame is also being set to chase the bonus, but through a different build-up.

“He’s going home and we’ll target the (Group 1) Blacks A Fake (December 6),” trainer-driver Grant Dixon said.

“This is the longest he’s been away from home so it’ll be great to get him back and race at home.”

Leap To Fame bounced back from his brave second to Kingman in the NZ Cup to win his first NZ Group 1 race in last Friday’s NZ free-for-all at Addington.

For so long Leap To Fame’s arch-rival was dual NZ Cup winner Swayzee, but recent setbacks and the fact he’s a rising eight-year-old have limited his impact.

Kingman, just four and seemingly still improving, has burst onto the scene.

“He’s been amazing. I’m glad he’s not going to the Blacks A Fake,” Dixon said.

Kingman left seasoned Kiwi trainers, drivers and fans in awe when he was able to sustain a long three-wide run and outstay Leap To Fame in the Cup.

“It’s as big a win as you’d ever seen,” top NZ driver Carter Dalgety said. “I drive at Addington all the time and I can’t tell you how hard it is to do what he did.

“And he still looks to be learning. He did so much wrong with his hanging and throwing his head around.”

Harvey, who won three Miracle Miles and two Hunter Cups with the great King Of Swing, said Kingman could be better.

“If he holds this form and stays sound, who knows how far he can go,” he said.

“All I’ve heard since the Cup, everywhere I’ve gone, is how amazed everyone was with his run.”

by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Australia