That’s 12 in a row – welcome back “Larry”!

Popular Queensland harness racing caller Chris Barsby perfectly described the return to racing by Australasia’s best pacer Leap To Fame (Bettors Delight): “he’s back: too big…too strong”.

There was plenty of pre-race speculation that an awkward inside back row draw might see Australia’s best pacer, known around the stables as “Larry”, buried back on the fence – but trainer-driver Grant Dixon worked the star clear in a blink.

The field in the $25,000 Ladbrokes Blackbook Divided Open Pace at Albion Park had travelled less than 200 metres when Dixon showed his hand, accelerating and surging forward to the death seat outside of the leader Blacksadance (Narissa McMullen).

Leap To Fame drew clear turning for home and went to the line impressively to post his 12th consecutive win, defeating Cantfindabettorman (Luke McCarthy) and Aardies Flash (Pete McMullen) in a time of 1.51-5 (54.7 secs last half).

It was the first start for the five-year-old since taking out the Miracle Mile on March 9 – that win was on top of victories in the Hunter Cup and Inter Dominion final.

LEAP TO FAME REPLAY

Dixon said his champion, raced by industry stalwarts Kevin and Kay Seymour, spent three weeks in the paddock after his last campaign.

“He did really well during the break and we’ve just brought him back nice and slowly,” he said.

Leap To Fame, who has now won 25 of his 31 starts at Albion Park, made an appearance at the trials earlier this week as Dixon begins to map out a winter campaign for his champion.

“We put him in a standing start trial as a few of our options are from the stand – such as the Flashing Red next weekend and the Redcliffe Cup at the end of the month. Then there’s the NZ Cup if we take him,” he said.

Apart from the Redcliffe Cup, Dixon will target the $200,000 G1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park on July 20 and the $400,000 G1 Blacks A Fake seven days later, a highlight events of the Queensland Constellations.

For complete race results, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink