Horror draw has 'made it harder' for Leap To Fame in NZ feature

By Adam Hamilton

Leap To Fame will have to overcome yet another bad barrier draw to successfully defend his crown in Friday night's $NZ1 million Race by Sport Nation at Cambridge.

The champion pacer eased from $2 to $2.30 after drawing wide in gate seven, but he will move into six if emergency Sooner The Bettor doesn't get a start from barrier five.

Against that, Leap To Fame came from gate seven to win the race last year and he is the only horse to win a Miracle Mile from barrier seven.

"We're used to the draws going against him now," owner Kevin Seymour said.

"It's made it harder, but Grant (Dixon) thinks he's got him as good, if not better than ever."

With Leap To Fame's arch rival and older half-brother Swayzee drawing gate two, the most likely scenario is a repeat of last month's Miracle Mile when Leap To Fame had to sit outside his sibling to win.

It's only the second time in five clashes Leap To Fame has been able to do the work outside him and beat Swayzee.

In contrast, Swayzee has led throughout to beat Leap To Fame in two Hunter Cups and a Blacks A Fake.

It is a fairytale draw for the race as a contest.

Another Aussie raider Captains Knock should lead from gate one and his trainer-driver Brad Hewitt said he would only take a sit on Swayzee or Leap To Fame.

"The Aussie form is better than the Kiwis at the moment, so I'll be burning out and holding the lead early and holding them all until Swayzee or Leap To Fame get to me," he said.

Swayzee, who has been to NZ twice for wins in the 2023 and 2024 NZ Cups, firmed from $6 to $4.20 after the draw.

The other winner from the draw was Miracle Mile runner-up The Janitor, who landed gate 10 and will follow through from the second row behind Swayzee. He is $3 second favourite.

The Janitor turned heads with a narrow but outstanding Waikato Flying Mile win at Cambridge last Thursday.

Last year's NZ and Victoria Cup winner Kingman was hardest hit by the draw with gate eight, meaning he will start from outside the front row.

The one-time favourite is now a $15 chance, while Captains Knock is $18 from his pole draw.

Incredibly, the five Australians are the first five favourites with $21 We Walk By Faith (gate six) the shortest of the five Kiwis in the field.

The Australian dominance is even more pronounced in the other feature, the $NZ530,000 TAB Trot.

Trotting queen Keayang Zahara is $1.05 from a perfect barrier two to win her 28th race from just 29 starts.

And other two Aussie raiders, Gus (gate eight, $12) and Jilliby Ballerini (four, $15) are considered the only serious threats.

Keayang Zahara has been beginning faster every start and if she doesn't lead early, it's most likely her stablemate Jilliby Ballerini will and then take a trail on the favourite.

Gus, who ran fourth to Keayang Zahara at their only meeting in last month's Group 1 Hammerhead Mile at Menangle, will have overcome the worst possible draw to stretch his unbeaten record in NZ races to four.

Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.

Image Credit: Race Images NZ