Triple Crown champion Leap To Fame has been anointed the Queensland Harness Horse of the Year for a third successive occasion at tonight’s Queensland Harness Awards in Brisbane.
Another historic season saw the now six-year-old further confirm his spot amongst the nation’s all-time greats, headlined by four Group 1 victories in the Blacks A Fake, Sunshine Sprint, A.G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile.
In doing so, he became only the second horse to hold harness racing’s Triple Crown (the Hunter Cup, Inter Dominion and the Miracle Mile) alongside the mighty Preux Chevalier 39 years ago.
Alongside his Blacks A Fake and Sunshine Sprint victories, wins in another pair of Group 2 races – the Newcastle Mile and Cranbourne Cup – on top of the Group 3 Mr Feelgood Open and Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint left the judging panel in unanimity for the state’s top honour.
From 16 starts in 2024, Leap To Fame claimed a remarkable 15 wins and one placing, along with $1,451,428 in prize money.
Another record-breaking season also saw him named the Queensland Aged Pacer of the Year and 2024 APHRC Horse of the Year, while Dixon was crowned Queensland Trainer of the Year for the second straight year.
Capping off the extraordinary evening, both Leap To Fame and Dixon were announced as the latest inductees into the Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame.
The Dixon-trained Fate Awaits took out the 2YO Pacer of the Year, following a strong debut season that was capped off with his triumphs in the Group 1 Protostar and Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge 2YO Final for colts and geldings.
Meanwhile, the Chantal Turpin-trained Aardie B Miki was awarded 3YO Pacer of the Year and Filly or Mare of the Year, in a season that netted 10 starts for seven wins and two placings – including the Group 1 Queensland Oaks.
Elsewhere, Gus was crowned Trotter of the Year after claiming eight wins and one place from 17 starts, headlined by victory in the Group 2 Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship Final.
Pete McMullen’s outstanding season in the sulky saw him re-claim the Queensland Driver of the Year, racking up 277 wins and 333 placings.
“The 2024 season has been another history-making one for the harness code here in Queensland, headlined by superstar pacer Leap To Fame’s unimaginable achievements on the national stage,” Racing Minister Tim Mander said.
“In a year that saw 25 individual black-type winners on the national calendar hailing from the Sunshine State, it was a landmark year for pacing and trotting in Queensland.
“I congratulate all of tonight’s deserved winners and look forward to what is already another outstanding season for the code in 2025.”
Young gun Angus Garrard was named the Queensland Concession Driver of the Year for a fourth consecutive season, in which the 21-year-old finished third in the State Drivers Premiership standings with 164 wins – a fifth centurion tally in as many years.
For her work as part of the Queensland Off-The-Track Program, Giuditta Crisci was crowned the Queensland Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year.
Since the inception of the QOTT Acknowledged Retrainers Program in January 2022, Giuditta has successfully retrained and rehomed 33 standardbreds from the industry into a range of rewarding and varied post-racing career pathways.
“Our participants at the coalface of the sport have been instrumental in driving the many successes we have celebrated here this evening, both on and off the track,” RQ CEO Jason Scott said.
“I want to give a special mention to Leap To Fame and Grant Dixon for their induction into the Hall Of Fame, which is a fitting tribute for the champion pacer and his trainer-driver.
“There’s no better time to be involved in harness racing in Queensland than now, and we have so much to look forward to for the code in 2025 and beyond, especially with the return of the Inter Dominion later this year.”
In total, close to 30 awards of distinction were presented at this evening’s ceremony.
