NSW-based Hart has a commanding lead in the statewide and Menangle premiership despite spending so much time on the road this year.
Last Saturday night he teamed up with powerhouses Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin to win two of the $100,000 Vicbred finals on Arrhythmia and Beach Diamond.
This week he heads north with his biggest supporter Jason Grimson to try and get his hands on the first of the Queensland fairground rides, the $75,000 Group 2 Sunshine Sprint with star speedster Hi Managirlff at Albion Park.
Hart has ridden the injury-plagued pacer 16 times and won 10 times.
Just two starts back, they combined to take the lead and finish second behind Kingman in the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton, where Leap To Fame finished third.
The last time Hart rode Hi Managirlff at Albion Park, the gelding ran third to Leap To Fame at last year’s Sunshine Sprint, when it was a Group 1 race and held in July.
Although Leap To Fame has passed this week, having only returned from its New Zealand campaign late last week, this is still a strong and fascinating Sunshine Sprint.
“This looks like a near perfect race for him given the good draw (gate four) if he can find the lead, which I think he can,” Hart said.
“I think he will easily pass The Janitor at the start and Frankie Ferocious has the speed to hold us, but would like to be on a horse like ‘Jeff’.
“I know ‘Jeff’ only ran sixth the last start (at Menangle) but it was a massive run considering the work he did and the time they ran. He only got tired in the last 80 meters or so.
“He’s not as one-dimensional as people think. When he came third in that Sunshine Sprint 18 months ago, he sat outside Leap To Fame and kept digging deep.”
Former Inter Dominion, TAB Eureka and Miracle Mile winner Don Hugo is the class factor, but will have to overcome a draw in the back row (gate 10).
“I’m very happy with his two runs back. He couldn’t have gone better last time.” said trainer-driver Luke McCarthy. “He should be at his peak now, but you’re always a bit in the hands of others when you pull back in the sprint race, especially at Albion Park.”
The other big weapon is the emerging The Janitor, who is the best pacer in Queensland after Leap To Fame.
After making a costly mistake in the Group 1 Len Smith at Menangle in September, The Janitor has bounced back with three slick victories at Albion Park, extending his record to 17 wins from just 28 starts.
The four-year-old will ideally be drawn into gate two to push for the most important win of his career to date and show he will be a key player in next week’s $250,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake.
Trainer-driver Grant Dixon will call in the coming days to see whether Leap To Fame defends its Blacks A Fake crown.
“As always with him, we let the horse tell us that he has recovered well enough from the trip to New Zealand,” he said. “The plan is to shoo him away when we think he feels like going.”
For full race entries, click here.
Through Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Australia
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