Records, rivalries, and Kiwi success on Inter Dominion night

[Wandering Eyes]

by Adam Hamilton

Leap To Fame targets New Zealand Cup after Inter Dominion win

The focus turns to the New Zealand Cup after champion Aussie pacer Leap To Fame snared his second Inter Dominion title at Albion Park last night.

In front of a packed and passionate local crowd, local hero Leap To Fame posted his 22nd successive win at his home track and his 56th win from just 69 lifetime starts.

The $A540,000 first prize also made him the all-time richest pacer in this part of the world with $A4,630,884 – surpassing another great Queenslander, Black A Fake’s on $A4,575,438.

Owners Kevin and Kay Seymour said the six-year-old will now have a short break before preparing to tackle NZ’s greatest race of any code.

“There’s some unfinished business with the NZ Cup because we were packed and ready to go when he got sick last year,” Kevin Seymour said.

“Sure, we’ve since gone across and won the big Cambridge race, but that’s only fuelled our appetite for the NZ Cup.

“It’s certainly changed Grant’s (Dixon) mindset. He’s gone from a bit wary about going to NZ to asking when we’re locking in Cup plans, all because Cambridge went so well.”

Seymour added to the NZ Cup intent by revealing Leap To Fame would bypass the Group 1 Victoria Cup to focus on his preparation for the second Tuesday of November at Addington.

“Now we’re through this (Inter Dominion), we’ll take a breath and start to look at the specifics of NZ,” he said.

“But we’ll give Victoria a miss this year and probably look to get to NZ early for a lead-up race or two.

“He handled the Cambridge trip so well, thrived over there and obviously raced so well. It gives us a lot of confidence to go back.”

Seymour also looked further ahead.

Leap To Fame became just the eighth pacer to win multiple Inter Dominion finals and Seymour hinted strongly at chasing a third crown, which only three other pacers have done (Blacks A Fake, Im Themightyquinn and Our Sir Vancelot).

“The big studs have been coming hard at us to retire him, but we’ll hold off for at least another year,” Kevin Seymour said.

“We’ve been in the game over 50 years and this is the horse we’ve dreamed of getting … Kay won’t let me retire him, at least not for a while yet.”

Arcee Phoenix crowned new king of trotting

Arcee Phoneix – image courtesy Dan Costello

The new “King” of trotting is Arcee Phoenix.

Chris Svanosio’s six-year-old followed his TAB Trot win in April with an all-the-way win in last night’s $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final.

First prize made him just the fifth Aussie-trained trotter to bank over $A1 million.

Arcee Phoenix easily showed enough speed to lead from the pole and young Kiwi star Bet N Win dropped in behind him for the trail.

But driver Bob Butt said Bet N Win dropped a shoe in the first lap and never trotted well after.

“I very nearly lost him when he needed to sprint at the top of the straight,” Butt said.

Old Kiwi marvel Oscar Bonavena produced a monstrous run to storm home from an impossible position and grab third spot.

Svanosio said Arcee Phoenix would not have a break before a likely trip to NZ for the Dominion Trot in November.

“This is an incredible thrill,” he said. “The ability has always been there, but we’ve had to be patient. It’s all been rewarded now.”

Rubira stamps class in Queensland Derby

Rubira – Image courtesy Dan Costello

MARK Purdon predicted Rubira was an open-class star in the making aftera  front-running win in last night’s Group1 Queensland Derby.

Driver Adam Sanderson balanced up from an outside draw then pushed forward and took the lead from favourite and main danger, Hesitate.

They ripped home in 54.2 and 26.8 and Hesitate had every chance, but could only get within three metres of Rubira in a 1min54.6sec mile rate for 2680m.

“Some three-year-olds are good but don’t take the next step to open-class, this horse will,” Purdon said.

“He’ll have a break now and go home to prepare for the big races later in the year.”

Rising Sun winner Fate Awaits was best of the beaten brigade with a big run for third.

The Janitor impresses in 4YO Championship

TOP driver Pete McMullen predicted big things for Kiwi-bred pacer The Janitor after his sparkling Group 3 4YO Championship win last night.

“He’s the real deal. He’s fast, but really tough, too,” he said. “I probably under-drove him a bit looking back at the Rising Sun, but there’s a lot to look forward to with him.

“We haven’t thought beyond this carnival, but we will now. There’s some good races here towards the end of the year.”

The Janitor, four-year-old Always B Miki gelding, scorched home in 53.3sec (26.7 and 26.6) to easily beat another former Kiwi, Major Hot. He’s won 13 of 23 starts.

McCarthy claims Oaks and Golden Girl double

LUKE McCarthy continued his recent dominance of the Group 1 Queensland Oaks when he upstaged star Kiwi raider Captains Mistress last night.

McCarthy worked to the front, took a sit on NSW Oaks winner Cool And Classy and used the sprint lane to rip through and win late.

Captains Mistress made an early move to sit parked outside Cool And Classy, but on a night where the pegs were a massive advantage, had to be content with third.

It was McCarthy’s seventh win in the race in the past 15 years and trainer Mick Stanley’s first “major” Oaks win after eight second placings over the years.

McCarthy also won the Group 1 Golden Girl with mighty mare Eye Keep Smiling, who successfully defended her title from last year.

It was the five-year-old’s 10th successive win and owner-breeder Jackie Gibson of Success Stud it had earned her another season of racing.

Eye Keep Smiling’s first foal, born through embryo transfer is a Bettors Delight colt and will be sold at the Nutrien Sydney sale in March.

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