3 minute read
Leap To Fame will have to overcome the widest barrier and well-some drawn rivals if he is to make a winning return to Victoria in Saturday evening’s Smoken Up Sprint at Melton.
Leap To Fame lines up in Victoria for the first time since winning the Cranbourne Cup in February and is using Saturday night's Group 3 to tune up for the Victoria Cup on October 12.
The champ drops back to 1720m in the Smoken Up after winning fresh over 2138m at Albion Park last week and has been set a task form the outside of the front row.
Leap To Fame has raced just four times at Melton for two big wins - in this year's Hunter Cup and the 2022 Victoria Derby – and two placings including a third in last year's Victoria Cup.
One plus with the draw is that trainer-driver Grant Dixon can allow the champ to roll forward under his own steam without being locked away and he has proven many times that he is happy to work hard and break the hearts of his rivals.
Catch A Wave presents an interesting challenge for Leap To Fame as he draws well and is a last-start Group 1 winner of the Len Smith Mile in Sydney.
The gelding has built an impressive resume over the last couple of years – mostly away from Leap To Fame – but it is worth remembering he beat the champ home when runner up in last year's Victoria Cup and has won five of seven at this distance.
Captain Ravishing was being mentioned in the same breath as Leap To Fame and Catch A Wave earlier in his career and while he has had his problems since he has won both of his starts back from a lengthy spell to suggest he may be ready to deliver on his potential.
Curly James appreciated the drop in distance to win last week at Menangle and while this is much stronger the inside draw can see him competitive.
The Melton meeting also features the finals of the Need For Speed Prince and Princess trotting series where boom three-year-olds Derek The Jet and Keayang Zahara will be heavily fancied to maintain their unbeaten records while Emma Stewart will look to follow on her recent domination on the Vicbred Super Series when she launches a quality team of three-year-olds at the Victoria Derby and Oaks heats.
At Gloucester Park on Friday night a low draw can see brilliant filly Water Lou claim a Group 1 win the WA Oaks.
She suffered a rare defeat in her final lead-up but was drawn wide and raced three deep without cover so was far from disgraced in fifth.
Water Lou had put together a string of wins before that including the G2 Westbred Classic two back when she led from one spot wider on the mobile.
She owns a terrific strike rate and should be hard to stop from this draw.
Xceptional Arma has been a rival of Water Lou's since their juvenile days and has had little luck in her last few outings, twice racing wide and suffering a flat tyre in the other.
The ace draw gives her every chance to show her best while Lion Queen and Madam Publisher both have the form to be competitive from their draws low on the second row.
