Across the Ditch: Cup weeks galore
Across the Ditch • November 7th, 2025 1:08 PM • 3 min read
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
The wait is almost over.
After last year’s aborted trip and serious doubts over this year, Aussie champ Leap To Fame has settled well in Christchurch and is right on target for Tuesday’s $1 million IRT NZ Trotting Cup.A roller coaster past months looks to be trending in the right direction again for all-time richest pacer in this part of the world.
After being beaten twice in a row for just the third time in his career, Leap To Fame returned to winning form and looked sharp doing it at Melton last Saturday week.
More importantly, trainer-driver Grant Dixon said he felt like the best version of Leap To Fame and locked in NZ plans.The rising seven-year-old arrived in Christchurch early Tuesday and after a day to settle in, Dixon was all smiles again.
The good news continued when Leap To Fame drew pretty much ideally in barrier six. He’ll start from five when the second emergency Lakelsa comes out.A middle front row draw is where you want to be, providing Leap To Fame steps away well.
Although he’s won his only two standing starts, Leap To Fame has stepped away safely more than quickly.
But he should be able to balance-up and stay out of trouble from five.
Dixon and his wife/co-trainer Trista Dixon will take the champ in for a “look around” Addington on Saturday with stablemate Fate Awaits, who will tackle the $500,000 Velocity on Show Day.Leap To Fame is one of the greatest pacers we’ve seen and his best would be too good for his rivals.
But there’s enough queries and confidence amongst his rivals to say we’ll have an epic NZ Cup on our hands.
Leap To Fame didn’t just lose two races in a row last month, he also lost one of his major weapons, something earned over years or relentless greatness … the power of intimidation.
Cran Dalgety with Republican Party and Luke McCarthy with Kingman would likely have handed up the lead if their charge found it and was challenged by Leap To Fame until recently.Both have said otherwise now.
For all of Leap To Fame’s greatness, this looms as one of his biggest and most fascinating tests.
And a packed Addington is a perfect and fitting stage for it.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
A magnificent Flemington carnival concludes with three mouthwatering Group One contests.
Via Sistina looks to have a mortgage on the Spring Champions Stakes over 2000m, but the Spring Champion Sprint and Lexus Champions Mile races look wide open.Via Sistina backed up her win in last years Ladbrokes Cox Plate by winning the Champions Stakes as a $1.60 favourite, and we can expect something similar here.
One punter has already chimed in with a bet of $2600 on her winning at $1.75.
The sprint has three leading chances with Tentyris, Joliestar and Giga Kick.Tentyris is chasing a winning hat-trick after dismantling his rivals in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, the only issue with the star three year-old is the predicted rain.Co-trainer Sam Freedman said they will scratch if the track is heavy.Joliestar won the Gr.1 Newmarket up the straight in the autumn and comes into this on the back of a nice fifth behind Ka Ying Rising in the Everest.2022 Everest winner Giga Kick is looking to make it back-to-back victories after producing a stunning win in the Gr.2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.The win was his first victory in two and a half years.
Trainer Clayton Douglas told gatecrashers that the plan is for Giga Kick to back up next Saturday in the Gr.1 C.F Orr Stakes at Caulfield and then head to Perth to target the Gold Rush on December 13.The Lexus Champions Mile is a cracker.Pride Of Jenni won this two years ago and Mr Brightside was victorious last year.They head the market but have stiff opposition from Ceolwulf and Treasurethemoment.
