the galah Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 (edited) Great horse. Great race. Swayzee very gallant in defeat. That race truly fitting of the excitement of an interdominion final. The coverage was tops. The drone seemed closer to the action than we see in nz and that part was easily viewed. Grant dixon and his owners have a chanp there. Hope hes available for breeding here one day.By bettors delight out of an art major mare. Gammalite you told us mr dixon had told you leap to fame was very special when he was a young 3yo. Well we all can see that now. Edited December 16, 2023 by the galah 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 Amazing horse. What a powerhouse performance. Powered away on his own at the quarter. and they were going 1.53 MR . some great horses struggling back in 2nd , 3rd and 4th . (all tried hard though) Better Eclipse, then Swayzee and Spirit Of St Louis nailing down 4th. Grant was so disappointed in September when 'Encipher' got the $1,000,000 for the Eureka when it ran him down late on . He sat 3 wide then parked out that day though . and was 4 lengths clear of 3rd. Tonight was near 4 lengths clear on his own !👍🏆 But this makes up for it with the Honour for all time of being an Interdominion Winner 🏆. Yulestar was amazing 22 years ago ... but this was something Else tonight. Best in the World .... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the galah Posted December 16, 2023 Author Share Posted December 16, 2023 (edited) A very enjoyable nights viewing. Watching leap to fame win. Then damien oliver win his last ever race ride. He went back from a wide draw in a big field but was able to creep up the fence then angle off and take a very tight gap and burst through the last bit and win. Brilliant last ride. Then the win of Just Believe in the trotters final. Just way too good. Its great to see exciting racing like that. I watched the dog races and while i do enjoy watching them,i personally just don't think you can compare them to the level of excitement and emotions that go with human combined with horse,that horse racing in both codes provides. They had a big dog race and the winner took home $1 million.Half the dogs copped bad interference on the first bend with one falling when handy and the leader and outsider was left clear. The nz owned dog ran 2nd.What the dogs do have is any joe bloggs can have a go at training one and tonights winner was trained by a pizza shop owner.They had another big dog race where groups of 2 dogs did time trials,but that was as exciting as watching yatching. So if you didn't see the racing,you missed a great nights viewing. Also i think the albion park commentator is the best in the world. Brittany graham always good and my wife likes her fashion. Edited December 16, 2023 by the galah 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 20231216APKT05_V.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 Leap To Fame on another level in Inter Dominion victory Grant Dixon drives Leap To Fame to a breathtaking win in the Inter Dominion final at Albion Park. Picture: Dan Costello By Adam Hamilton 11:57pm • 16 December 2023 0 Comments Hometown hero Leap To Fame's stamped his greatness with an emotion-charged moment of redemption in Saturday night's Brisbane Inter Dominion final. Leap To Fame's biggest win in the sport's most iconic race was by far a career highlight for champion trainer-driver Grant Dixon and moved his normally steely owner Kevin Seymour to burst into tears and be lost for words at the presentation. "To win this race, in front of this town crowd and do it with Grant and Trista (Dixon's wife) is just so special," Seymour said before emotions overcame him. Seymour later said Leap To Fame was the horse he and wife, Kay, had been dreaming of in 50 years in harness racing. "We've won lots of big races, including the Gold Coast Inter Dominion with Mr Feelgood the last time it was in Queensland (2009), but this is so different. It's just a whole different level," he said. Dixon, champion of Queensland harness racing, said Leap To Fame was "a once in a lifetime" horse. "He's the result of my father (Bill) before me and now myself and Trista trying to find one like him for 70 years," he said. “Operation Interdominion COMPLETE!” It's all Leap To Fame in the #ID23 Pacing Championship Grand Final. ???? pic.twitter.com/LECkI0g94U — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 16, 2023 "When he won the NSW Derby (February, last year) I thought he was the horse we'd been dreaming of getting and then he backed it up and won the Victoria Derby. "I've had so much success and broken so many records here, but what's been missing is one of those really big wins and he's done it for us, in front of our home crowd and our family and friends." Sparks flew early and Leap To Fame was able to get across his older half-brother and main danger Swayzee before working to the lead and reversing the roles from their only previous clash when Swayzee won the Blacks A Fake at Albion Park in July. This time Leap To Fame led throughout in blistering times and gave Swayzee no chance of beating him on the outside with a track record-smashing 1min 53.5sec mile rate for 2680m. Swayzee fought on well for third, with much-improved Victorian Better Eclipse splitting the siblings in second spot. Leap To Fame set the crowd alight when Dixon cut him loose rounding the final bend and went for home with a big league. Still just a four-year-old, Leap To Fame was eased down in the closing stages to win by 10.6m. The normally very reserved Dixon let his emotions show with a lavish victory salute across the line. Those emotions gained momentum in recent months some doubters emerged around Leap To Fame when his Blacks A Fake defeat was followed by losses, albeit be brave runs, in the TAB Eureka and Victoria Cup. "I just felt he deserved it … deserved a really big one," Dixon said. Dixon and Seymour will now weigh-up options around a possible Hunter Cup tilt in February or wait to the Miracle Mile a month later. Better Eclipse's second placing, helped by a brilliant Greg Sugars drive, showed how he's come since seventh in last year's Melton Inter Dominion. “DON'T STOP DREAMING, JUST KEEP BELIEVING!” Just Believe dominates the #ID23 Trotting Championship Grand Final. ???? pic.twitter.com/1jWescORAI — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 16, 2023 And Swayzee lost no admirers with a fighting third given his early burn and doing all the work outside Leap To Fame in record time. Meanwhile, champion trotter Just Believe completed the "Larry" and "Harry" show when he cruised to his second successive Inter Dominion trotting final win. Leap To Fame's stable name is "Larry" and trainers Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars call Just Believe "Harry" around home. Just Believe created history by becoming the first trotter to clean sweep two consecutive Inter Dominion series by winning all three heats and finals. "To do it after going to the other side of the world (Sweden) for so long in the middle of the year and coming back an even better horse shows how amazing he is," Sugars said. "He cruised in tonight. He's just a perfect racehorse and makes us look good. We're so privileged to have him." It was Sugar's third successive driving win in the trotting final with Maori Law in 2021 and Just Believe the past two years. * Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Was an impressive and dominant win that will likely enhance the value of future Interdoms. I have found myself watching less racing on TV these days but there has been a lot of hype about the Interdom Final. I was looking forward to seeing all the important post race celebrations etc. Instead they did the very thing that has been turning me cold for many months. They left Albion Park and went to a greyhound race which would have been one in many hundreds of dog races that day / night. I didn't bother with the Trotters final in case of the same BS. On NZ Cup day at Addington I was in the members / owners area. They had a TV blasting dog racing despite me not seeing a single person looking at the TV screen while a dog race was on. Yesterday I was especially interested to see if Damian Oliver could win on his last ever ride and make it a treble of wins in his last three rides. The crew of presenters described that if he pulled it off it would still be talked about in 100 years time. The TV stayed with the ship after he rode a magnificent race to win and to see the big dismount and then off to another dog race. Racing can't afford to lose such special moments and to do so for dog racing is pretty short sighted. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted December 18, 2023 Share Posted December 18, 2023 Just looking at the Mare's side breeding . Leap To Fame (2023 Interdominion winner) and Swayzee (2023 Nz Cup winner) both out of LettuceReason , a handy Art Major racemare who won 17 races from 50 starts , she competed in 6 Group 1's and finished 2nd in the 2 yearold Breeder's Crown in the best of them runs. She had 4 Full Sisters to race who won 4 career races each only. and are leaving moderate winners between them. All out of mare 'Left For Me'. AND the 'LettuceReason' Full Brother is FOR A REASON . He couldn't crack the Nz Cup for McCarthy stable (finished 3rd to Adore Me you might remember ? ) nor the Interdominion (3rd on 2 occasions to double Winner BEAUTIDE at Menangle) but he was an excellent colt (now standing at stud) Won over a $1,000,000 career and a Victoria Cup as well . Leap to Fame nailed very late in that race himself recently (Victoria Cup which is the Oz equal of Nz Cup) this year by ACT NOW but he will be back down there Winning it 2024. Go 'Larry' !!!!!'🏆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 (edited) Mark Purdon nearly took out the Hunter Cup Saturday night. Don't Stop Dreaming very close at the end. If it had been 2 miles like it used to be in the Hunter Cup when Blossom Lady was winning it a couple of times , he would of caught LEAP TO FAME and taken the victory for New Zealand. Don't Stop Dreaming a great long term NZ Cup prospect. Grimson Won the 4 yearold Bonanza tonight too. with a Queenslander he acquired recently . Punted 100-1 into 6-1 to Win the $2,000,000 Eureka this year. that was before Frankie Ferocious had his first start for the GRIM one tonight. Might be even shorter now . Go Grimmo !!! Edited February 3 by Gammalite 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 7 hours ago, Gammalite said: Mark Purdon nearly took out the Hunter Cup Saturday night. Don't Stop Dreaming very close at the end. If it had been 2 miles like it used to be in the Hunter Cup when Blossom Lady was winning it a couple of times , he would of caught LEAP TO FAME and taken the victory for New Zealand. Don't Stop Dreaming a great long term NZ Cup prospect. Grimson Won the 4 yearold Bonanza tonight too. with a Queenslander he acquired recently . Punted 100-1 into 6-1 to Win the $2,000,000 Eureka this year. that was before Frankie Ferocious had his first start for the GRIM one tonight. Might be even shorter now . Go Grimmo !!! Don’t Stop Dreaming very unlucky, put in a few rough ones 200m out certainly cost it the win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 2 hours ago, Newmarket said: Don’t Stop Dreaming very unlucky, put in a few rough ones 200m out certainly cost it the win. Great run by Don't Stop Dreaming who must be very hard to beat in the Chariots of Fire. I don't think the rough steps cost him victory. Maybe cost him getting closer. Leap of Fame to my eye had them covered and was putting his cue back in the rack. Just how I read it. Whatever the case, it was a great run. He's not a bad option for the All Stars with Akuta getting injured late and pulling out of the trip.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 4 hours ago, Newmarket said: Don’t Stop Dreaming very unlucky, put in a few rough ones 200m out certainly cost it the win. He certainly has a bit more smoothing out to do. Don't Stop Dreaming is one Terrific horse though. Only just turned 4 and Mark has taken on the Interdominion Champion already and did very well last night. Was throwing the head about in the Big NZ Derby in December too. and was closing late exactly like the photo above to Merlin in that as well, after a wide run to the death seat as well. Natalie Rasmussen would be proud of her 'boys' in the Hunter Cup Quinella. She was once married to the Trainer driver of the winner Grant Dixon. Mark showing less commitment for a while lol 😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 On 2/4/2024 at 6:00 AM, Walt said: Great run by Don't Stop Dreaming who must be very hard to beat in the Chariots of Fire Has the lead up tonight in the 'Hondo Gratten ' at Menangle. New catch driver Jack Callaghan takes the reigns tonight . DSD only at about $1.60 odds to win Well known kiwi SOONER THE BETTER also tackling that race tonight at around 10.40 Nz time . also being catch driven by Fitzpatrick . Meanwhile at Cranbourne , the $100,000 Gold Cup is a Leap to Fame benefit. BACH having his first Australian start for ex-pat Cambridge boy Kyle Marshall and driven by Ant's Butt , so a real kiwi flavour on that one!! . rumour has it they are a sneaky chance to Win , but must be BIG odds to beat Queensland mate Leap to Fame who is crushing Allcomers at present. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 (edited) Back in action tonight. The $100,000 Newcastle Mile . A few ex-pat kiwis to take him on and beat him ? Loyalist, Hot and Treacherous and i'm picking CantFindaBetterMan . nicely drawn. the winner qualifies for the Miracle Mile I think , to be run early March. Old Kiwi horse Cantfindabetterman was enormous last start , and Luke McCarthy (now training in his own name instead of in his wife's thank goodness) might knock off Leap to Fame tonight at good odds. ? 😆. he has done most of his racing in Brisbane since coming from Nz , had 9 of last 10 starts there. went ok winning Interdom consolation at $1.20 Dec. 1 73657 PETES SAID SO NZ KerryAnn Morris Robert Morris FR1 2 75923 MASTER CATCH (Em 1) Lisa McDonald SCRATCHED SCR- 3 65313 CANTFINDABETTORMAN NZ Luke McCarthy Luke McCarthy FR2 4 42184 KANENA PROVLIMA KerryAnn Morris Joshua Gallagher (C) FR3 5 26836 PITCH PERFECT NZ (Em 2) Roy Roots Jnr SCRATCHED SCR- 6 31921 MACH DA VINCI NZ Peter Hanson Jack Callaghan (C) FR4 7 11111 LEAP TO FAME Grant Dixon Grant Dixon FR5 8 580s1 HOT AND TREACHEROUS NZ Jason Grimson Cameron Hart FR6 9 11r32 MAX DELIGHT David Aiken Nathan Jack FR7 10 07s11 LOYALIST NZ Joe Conolly Seaton Grima (C) FR8 Edited February 23 by Gammalite 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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