Cambridge - a taste of things to come in 2026

Now that former Queensland presenter-driver-trainer is a key part of the sport on this side of the Tasman Brittany Graham shares her thoughts every week about all things racing. 

By Brittany Graham 

It’s been almost a week since the fifth iteration of the Night Of Champions at Cambridge and the racing world is still abuzz about an evening the harness racing industry should be proud of.

Not only should we be proud, but it should also act as a springboard to what could be a huge 2026 for the sport.

Within the harness code, many of the industries’ most respected voices are touting Keayang Zahara and Leap To Fame as generational talents, with several even describing the latter as our greatest ever.

The duo are also transcending the sport – something incredibly rare in this day and age.

Many thoroughbred industry figures were on course to watch live at Cambridge on Friday night, while Golden Slipper winning trainer Mick Price has confessed his adoration for “Larry”. Despite running a huge operation in his own code, he has spent several weekends at standardbred yearling sales over the last eight weeks and invested in three youngsters since seeing Leap To Fame in the flesh at the AG Hunter Cup.

That is serious cut-through and proof that our great athletes do truly go beyond their own backyard.

Another point of note out of the Australian domination in recent times has been the admiration for New Zealand racing by our international counterparts, most notably the Aussies.

Leap To Fame’s trainer/driver Grant Dixon has been extremely open that the New Zealand Cup is his “bucket list race” and he wants to take advantage of training this champion to try and win it.  Having to settle for second last year, both Grant and wife Trista as well as owners Kevin and Kay Seymour are planning to come back for another attempt later this year.

When it comes to trotting phenomenon Keayang Zahara, her connections are just as keen to be at Addington on November 10th.

Despite declaring that the Inter Dominion was the race he wanted to win growing up, her driver Jason Lee confesses that the second Tuesday in November has become his new holy grail.

It is basically living rent free in the young reinsman’s head.

At every opportunity the team are “drawing the tapes at home” to ready Keayang Zahara for the Dominion two-mile standing start contest.

Footage from Friday night's elite racing has been shared around the world, and last year’s World Driving Championship played a part in promoting what New Zealand Cup Week is all about.

Little old New Zealand and its rich harness racing landscape has a lot to be proud of, and with two once-in-a-generation horses eyeing up a return to our shores, it is going to be a hugely exciting six-month build up.

Let’s not sleep on this opportunity – and use it to sell our great sport to the masses.