Spotlight On: Fate Awaits & Path To Greatness

Dynamic duo Fate Awaits and Path To Greatness are an unlikely pair with a lot in common.

Over the years, there’s been some wonderful duos, all in different ways. There’s been Bonnie & Clyde, Starsky & Hutch, Batman & Robin, Lennon & McCartney, Tom & Jerry, Han Solo & Chewbacca, and even Barbie & Ken.

The list goes on and on, some fictional and non-fictional characters amongst them. But what about harness racing duos?

There’s Vinny & Poppy, Blackie & Simon, Hondo & A.D, Paleface & Pike, Nike & Puma.

Wait, what?

Nike and Puma? A pair of global sporting brands known for their huge shoe and apparel range… how does that relate to harness racing?

Who’s confused?

Well, the duo of Nike and Puma in the harness racing world relates to the gifted four-year-old pacers from the powerful stables of Grant and Trista Dixon.

Fate Awaits (Nike) and Path To Greatness (Puma) – a pair of pacers forging their own identities with the best still to come.

But both carry striking similarities: same age, same trainers, same owners (Kevin & Kay Seymour), and purchased from the same yearling sale (2023 Sydney Nutrien).

Both are proven winners.

Both are feature race winners.

Currently, Fate Awaits, an entire by boom stallion Always B Miki, carries the higher profile given he’s amassed a fine record of 11 victories from just 29 starts with earnings above $750,000.

His biggest victories include the inaugural $500,000 Protostar plus the $300,000 Rising Sun, becoming the first three-year-old to win the famed feature.

Both feature victories were recorded at Albion Park.

A mighty sound investment given he cost just $24,000 at the yearling sales a few years back.

But don’t sleep on Path To Greatness, a gelded son of champion sire Captaintreacherous who has built a record of 10 wins from just 26 starts while banking more than $260,000.

His biggest victory to date came via the $125,000 Nutrien Sales Classic Final at Melton plus the $30,000 Queensland Sun at Albion Park last season.

Again, a sound investment given he cost $60,000 at the yearling sales.

So, an outlay of $84,000 has netted more than $1 million – and still building!

Kudos to Grant and Trista, sharp eyes lead to sharp judgement.

Fate Awaits and Path To Greatness has raced against each nine times to date, the scoreline heavily favours Fate Awaits (six times Fates Awaits has beaten home Path To Greatness).

And with Queensland Constellations kicking off tonight, they seem to be on a collision course.

Both pacers have been earmarked for the following features: Redcliffe Cup, Rising Sun, Eureka, and the NSW Breeders Challenge.

They know each other well, but are there any other similarities?

“No,” Grant Dixon said matter-of-factly.

“The only similarities they carry are these: same feed program, sometimes they work together and they both like winning.”

Around the stables, they’re polar opposites.

Fate Awaits is a big developing stallion who is kept away from the bulk of his stablemates.

“He knows he’s an entire and likes everyone to know he’s around. Maybe we should’ve gelded him earlier because he’s become quite naughty. He’s a hyperactive type and he’ll grab you and bite if you’re not paying attention,” Dixon said.

“In many ways, he’s the opposite of Larry (Leap To Fame) with his mannerisms. When he’s at the crossties you need some assistance when he’s unclipped to head onto the training track.”

Path To Greatness is the no-fuss type.

“He’s so cool and easy to deal with. He was gelded early and he’s never given us any issues. He’s got such a great attitude, very professional and all business,” Dixon said.

“He roams with the bulk of horses, but his paddock mate is Call To Order. They’re besties.”

Dixon has done the bulk of race driving behind Fate Awaits while Trista (Rising Sun) and Jack Chapple have both secured victories with him.

Sydney reinsman Robbie Morris has also driven Fate Awaits and finished third.

Winning drivers behind Path To Greatness include Grant, Trista and Robbie Morris while Adam Sanderson and Josh Gallagher have also partnered the gelding.

Despite the hectic schedule at his Tamborine stables, Dixon is optimistic about the upcoming local carnival features.

Naturally, champion pacer Leap To Fame commands most attention but he’s bullish about the chances of Nike and Puma.

“I think both boys will compete very well with any luck. Trista and I deliberately skipped Sydney earlier this year and didn’t bother about the Chariots at Menangle and I believe that will hold them in good order for our features. I like the way both have come up this preparation,” Dixon said.

“Races like the Redcliffe Cup (for which both are qualified) and the Rising Sun look likely to be very strong, the depth around is very solid.

"It would be amazing if Fate Awaits could win the Rising Sun again, he’d become the first horse to complete the unique double, but I wouldn’t complain if Puma knocked him off.

“They’ll both go to Sydney at the back end of the year; the Eureka is a key race given the prizemoney coupled with the fact Kevin (Seymour, owner) really wants to land that trophy. 

"They both contested the race last year against Bay Of Biscay but they’re better horses now compared to then.

“The Breeders Challenge is another obvious target; Fate Awaits won it as a two-year-old while Path To Greatness has finished fifth both times, as a two-year-old and last year. 

"The back end of the season is busy, hence, bypassing the Chariots, so we’re hoping they’ll have plenty of gas left in the tank for these upcoming features.”

In many ways, Nike and Puma carry striking similarities to Larry (Leap To Fame, $6.3 million) and Tm (Tims A Trooper, $579,000) and look how they turned out.

Connections will be hoping history repeats.

So, they might just become harness racing’s next famous duo…. or remain opposites like they are at the stables.

But opposites do attract.