The scene is set.
Victoria’s revamped and updated Summer of Glory is the biggest winner from Kingman’s stunning rise (Always B Miki).
When the potential $1 million bonus and new six-week schedule were announced about six weeks ago, there were sighs in some quarters.
Was there more appeal in getting Leap To Fame to Victoria for much longer than just a hit-and-run assault on the Hunter Cup?
That was a logical choice for the always negative, but the real benefits of the innovation and bonuses are now much clearer for everyone to see.
In the moments after Kingman’s epic and almost unbelievably huge NZ Cup victory last Tuesday, his trainer-driver Luke McCarthy quickly shifted focus to Victoria.
“We have another race here (NZ) at Addington (on Friday) and then he goes home for a freshen up,” he said.
“We were planning to go to the Blacks A Fake, but now that Victoria has the bonus, we will focus on all those Cups from the beginning of January.
“It’ll be more of a refresher than a break at home, and then we’ll head to Victoria.”
With Swayzee’s career on hold and in limbo, the rivalry between Kingman and Leap To Fame is the biggest and best in the game.
And Victoria will host the next phase of it, spread over three, four, maybe even five races.
As a reminder, the Summer of Glory bonus series legs are in Bendigo (January 10), Shepparton (January 17), Ballarat (January 24), Cranbourne (January 31), Kilmore (February 7) and Melton for the Hunter Cup (February 14).
To claim the $1 million bonus, a pacer needs four legs, but that must include the Hunter Cup.
It’s a genius move.
Leap To Fame, who followed up his second-place finish in the NZ Cup with victory in last Friday’s Group 1 NZ, will return home to chase more Group 1 glory before heading to Victoria.
He has the Blacks A Fake in his own backyard at Albion Park on December 6.
Besides the Summer of Glory rumors, the associated $500,000 bonus for trotters at the same six meetings is one of the main reasons why the most exciting trotter in this part of the world, Keayang Zahara, stayed home rather than go to New Zealand.
“When we looked at how early she was in her campaign and the great options at home with those races and the bonus, it was best to keep her at home,” said co-trainer Paddy Lee.
“We’ll probably take her to Brisbane for the Great Square next month if we can get the right flights, but the focus will be on those Victorian races.”
Through Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Victoria
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