McCarthy has beaten Leap To Fame three times this year on two different horses and hopes a barrier draw can help him take fourth place in the $250,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park.
McCarthy trains and controls Don Hugo (Art major), who performed Leap To Fame at the Miracle Mile in Menangle on March 8.
Since then, McCarthy’s new star Kingman has performed Leap To Fame in two of the sport’s biggest races, the Group 1 Victoria Cup in Melton on October 18 and the Group 1 NZ Cup in Christchurch on November 11.
Don Hugo, ready after three runs back from a spell, has the advantage of a front row draw (gate four), while Leap To Fame will have to overcome the back row (gate 10) as he attempts to defend his Blacks A Fake crown.
Despite the ties, Leap To Fame remains a $1.50 favorite, tied with Don Hugo at $3.20. The other key rider is rising Queensland star The Janitor at $4.80 from his back row draw (gate 12).
“We have our chance now,” McCarthy said. “We really needed a barrier advantage over the champions, especially around Albion Park, and it ended up that way.
“I’m really happy with Don’s three runs back, he’s built up every time and the plan was always to have him at his absolute best for this race.”
After strong placings at Menangle and Wagga, Don Hugo finished fourth behind Hi Managirlff, while The Janitor came second in last week’s Sunshine Sprint.
“It was always going to be difficult because of our (bad) draw and it became more difficult as the race was run,” McCarthy said.
“The leaders ran home in the fastest last half ever on the track and we had to come wide from the back and still hit the line really well.
“He’s right on target and we’ve now got our chance because of the draw.”
McCarthy opted to face Leap To Fame again rather than the easier option of staying in NSW for the second leg of the NSW Carnival of Cups in Newcastle on Friday evening.
Leap To Fame, who has 58 wins from 73 starts, is in the usual situation of being beaten in three of his past five starts.
He has not raced since returning to winning form in the Group 1 NZ free-for-all at Addington on November 14.
Leap To Fame will certainly appreciate his return to Albion Park, where he has won 23 races in a row since his last defeat at the track on November 4, 2023.
The other star of Saturday night’s meeting, the whimsical Victorian trotting mare Keayang Zahara, started the 24-hour road trip from Terang to Brisbane last night (Monday).
The four-year-old is touted as one of the best trotters this part of the world has ever seen with 20 starts and 19 wins and a second.
Keayang Zahara is $1.10 favorite despite drawing from the back row (gate nine) to win her 10th Group 1 race at the $150,000 Great Square on Saturday evening.
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing Victoria
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