Maroon magic poised to dominate Inter Dominion series

By Adam Hamilton

Once considered a harness racing minnow, Queensland is superbly placed to totally dominate next month's Brisbane Inter Dominion series and win both Grand Finals.

The great Leap To Fame leads the charge, but last Friday night's Albion Park meeting underlined the star power the "Maroons" boast going into the opening round of heats on Saturday week.

Leap To Fame capped his preparation for a tilt at a third Inter Dominion crown when he narrowly but impressively beat another superstar Queenslander, The Janitor, in last Friday night's pacing free-for-all.

Only a neck separated them and it's the third time in the past seven months The Janitor has gotten close to Leap To Fame.

Going back to last December's Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park and The Janitor (third) was just a half-head behind Leap To Fame (second) with Don Hugo winning by a nose.

They clashed again in the $1 million Miracle Mile on March 14 when The Janitor headed Leap To Fame in the home straight, but the champ fought back to win by a half-neck.

Such has been The Janitor's rise and rise, he is $5 second favourite behind Leap To Fame ($1.60) for the $1 million Ladbrokes Inter Dominion pacing final on July 18.

While The Janitor's driver Pete McMullen was content to take a trail on Leap To Fame and try to outsprint him, but when it comes to crunch time in the Inter Dominion he sure to be more aggressive.

"He's always looked like a really nice horse in the making," Leap To Fame's trainer-driver Grant Dixon said of The Janitor. "He's been given time and had a good grounding and this could be his time.

"There's a bit of depth to the series, but The Janitor looks as big a danger as any.

"It's great they both got the run a couple of weeks out from the heats. ‘Larry' (Leap To Fame) did it well and he's right where we want him."

Leap To Fame's win added to his astonishing Albion Park record.

Since finishing a luckless fourth in the Be Good Johnny Sprint on November, 2023, Leap To Fame has won 28 of his 29 starts at Albion Park. The only defeat was by a whisker in that Blacks A Fake last December.

The Janitor's stablemate, Gus, is "Leap To Fame-like" odds to give Queensland victory in the $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final, also on July 18.

The one-time gifted rogue has really matured over the past 12 months and stamped it when he won the huge Group 1 double – Dominion Trot and NZ free-for-all – at Addington's iconic NZ Cup Week last November.

Trainers Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen immediately set their sights on the hometown Inter Dominion.

"He was so big in the final last year from an impossible position and he's a lot more of a complete racehorse now," McMullen said.

Gus, who had impressed in recent trials, returned from a spell with a sparkling win against inferior opposition at Albion Park last Friday night.

Wanting to give him a good hit-out, McMullen let him slide away to win by 12m and trot a dazzling 55.7sec last half.

With superstar Victorian mares Keayang Zahara and Jilliby Ballerini missing the series, Gus is $1.60 favourite for the trotting final.

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