Leap into unknown for Fame
Australia’s champion pacer Leap To Fame is just weeks away from a racetrack return and he’s about to try something new.
Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said the five-year-old thrived during a three-week break and would trial “in about two weeks”.
“I’m really happy with him,” Dixon said.
“He seems to have freshened up really well. Three weeks out was a good break.
“He’s had a good, slow build-up and he’s just about ready to trial.”
Leap To Fame is set to resume in the standing-start
Flashing Red at Albion Park on June 8. It will be the first standing-start race of his 46start career.
And it is a crucial race with a view to an exciting possible raid on NZ’s biggest race, the New Zealand Trotting Cup, in Christchurch on November 12.
“He’s qualified from a standing start so can go straight into the Flashing Red but he’ll need to handle the stand well and step away well for us to push on to the Redcliffe Cup (June 29), as another big test for NZ,” Dixon said.
“I’d love to go to NZ. I think that race is pretty much the pinnacle of racing in this part of the world but he’ll need to show us he likes the stand to take on a race like that.”
More immediately, Dixon has Group 1 races such as the Sunshine Sprint (July 20) and Blacks A Fake (July 27) in his sights.
Leap To Fame’s return bout with his older sibling Swayzee in the Blacks A Fake promises to be a highlight of the Queensland Constellations.
Trainer Joseph Ible believes a breakthrough victory for Bambi Belle in Monday’s Magic Millions 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m) at Muswellbrook could prove to be the catalyst for the lightly-raced filly to go on a winning run.
Ible is keen to build some winning momentum with Bambi Belle after taking over training her this preparation following three starts under fellow Kembla Grange conditioner Ross McConville.
The chestnut filly struggled at her first attempt around Wyong in her maiden run for Ible before she was a beaten odds-on favourite when third in a Wagga Super Maiden over 1000m last start.
Ible believes there was still plenty of merit to the second of those performances and hopes Bambi Belle can take advantage of an outstanding draw in barrier one in her third up assignment.
“I think she ran into a pretty hot race at Wagga last week and ran well but hopefully with a good draw again and with a good jockey on, she can go close,” Ible said.
“She will be nice and fit now with two runs already this preparation and there is not as big of a gap as there was between her first up run and second run this time.
“I think she is in good shape. “She is the sort of horse that is still learning and figuring out what racing is all about but once she gets a win, I think a couple could flow in a row.”
Jean Van Overmeire has been tasked with riding Bambi Belle on Saturday where the filly is a $3.10 favourite from the Nathan Doyle-trained In My Dreams ($4.40).