Leap To Fame ID23 Final Win Photo by Dan Costello
TOP race caller Dan Mielicki rates Leap To Fame as potentially one of the greatest pacers he has seen heading into his 29th call of the Group 1 Hunter Cup.
Mielicki, who has also called 14 Melbourne Cups, said the combination of Leap To Fame and champion trotter Just Believe placed tomorrow night's Hunter Cup card up with the strongest he has covered.
"You go back to 2000, which was also an Inter Dominion year in Melbourne when you had Yulestar beat an incredibly strong field in the Hunter Cup, and one of the all-time great trotters, Lyell Creek, win the feature trot on the night," he said.
"That's the benchmark, but this is right up there. "
"Yulestar was racing the likes of Christian Cullen, Shakamaker, Courage Under Fire, Tailamade Lombo – all champions in their own right."
"And Lyell Creek, well he was Lyell Creek. Just an incredible trotter."
"So, to have Leap To Fame heading a strong Hunter Cup, albeit not as strong as that 2000 race, and Just Believe in the Great Southern Star, there are great similarities to that epic meeting 24 years ago."
Mielicki said if Leap To Fame stays injury-free, he looks set to break Blacks A Fake's Australasian prize money record of $4,575,438.
"Blacks A Fake had 105 starts and Leap To Fame's had 41 and already earned over $1.8mil. He's got the Hunter Cup, a $1 million Miracle Mile and another $1 million in the Race by Grins just around the corner."
"If Leap To Fame races 105 times, he might earn $8 million."
"Prize money isn't everything, but he has got the potential to be right up there with the best we've seen. He's still only just turned five and has it all ahead of him."
"If you could, I'd be having something on him to break the record."
"He reminds me of Blacks A Fake and Lazarus … he doesn't have a lot of gate speed and can be vulnerable in the shorter races, but when they get out to a staying trip, they are almost unbeatable."
"That's why it'll be a surprise if he doesn't win this (Hunter Cup). The 2760m is made for him."
"Like only the very best, he's good enough to do plenty of work in his races and win or still be right there at the finish."
Mielicki urged fans to enjoy the special night with Just Believe also having all-time great potential.
"He's well on his way. He reminds me of Lyell Creek, too."
"Sure, he's got a way to go to be ranked with him, but there are similarities in their ability to dominate a race from pretty much anywhere."
"We really need to pause and enjoy this – two very special horses stepping out in our own backyard on the same night."
While Mielicki can't forget Yulestar's 2000 win as his most memorable Hunter Cup win, a few others are burned into his memory.
"Elsu's win (2005) was arguably the greatest individual performance I've seen, while Blacks A Fake's incredible win over Smoken Up (2008) is right up there. In more recent years, Lazarus was stunning (2018), as was Tiger Tara a year later," he said
