Kingman, two years junior at Leap To Fame, took a 3-0 head-to-head lead when he used a better barrier draw to take the lead in the Group 3 Shepparton Cup last Saturday evening.
Kingman had previously defeated Leap To Fame in the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on October 18 and the Group 1 NZ Cup at Addington on November 11.
Unlike Shepparton, Leap To Fame has the draw to push for the lead at Ballarat. He starts from outside the front row (gate seven), while Kingman is the only runner in the back row (gate eight).
The race is crucial to both superstars’ missions to try and win the new $1 million bonus during the six weeks of Victoria’s Summer of Glory.
Kingman is best placed after winning at Shepparton last week. He must win three of the four remaining legs, including the $250,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup on February 14, to claim the bonus.
Leap To Fame will have to win all four remaining legs.
Kingman’s trainer-driver Luke McCarthy said the intention was for the five-year-old to contest all four remaining stages.
“If that means racing six weeks in a row, then I’m not impressed,” he said.
“He’s such a great horse. He can race from week to week. If I miss a race, all I have to do is train him really hard in between.”
“Obviously I’ll keep the option open to miss a week if he’s had a really tough run somewhere, but the plan is to go to all of them.”
McCarthy said Kingman has done well since Shepparton.
“He came through incredibly well and is ready to go again,” he said.
“It’s a stark contrast to how he felt when he was beaten in the Bendigo Cup the week before. I knew the journey was flattening him and he showed that with how well he returned to his best in Shepparton.”
Despite a 3-0 lead over Leap To Fame, which has no other pacer, McCarthy exudes respect for the Queensland champions.
“He has been the best for three years and even if he has been beaten, his runs in great times have been enormous,” he said.
“We had the draw at Shepparton and he seems to have the edge this time.
“They are two great horses and it is exciting to compete in races like this week after week.”
Leap To Fame is down from $1.50 to $1.60 in early markets, while Kingman went down $2.50 to $2.20.
Erratic trotting mare Keayang Zahara is an unsupportable $1.05 favorite to move one step closer to Victoria’s $500,000 trotting bonus if she wins the Group 1 Ballarat Trotters’ Cup on Saturday evening.
The five-year-old won the first leg, the Group 1 Maori Mile, in Melton last Saturday, but passed Shepparton last Saturday.
Keayang Zahara is drawn wide in gate six, with the main dangers being Im Bobby (gate eight) and Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix (three), who led the quinella at Shepparton last week.
For full race entries, click here.
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing Australia
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