WA has achieved its greatest-ever harness racing coup with megastar Leap To Fame confirmed by owner Kevin Seymour to compete in a Group 1 Gloucester Park double next year.

The best horse of his era and perhaps in the history of trotting ever, Leap To Fame will chase another first in a lustrous career when he heads to Perth for the $1.25 million Nullarbor and $300,000 Fremantle Cup next April.

His leviathan owner, who pledged to showcase the horse to Australia, said this will be part of the future stallion’s farewell tour.

“We’d be crazy not to make the trip,” Seymour said. “He can race in two great races in the space of a week for $1.55 million. And the Nullarbor is the biggest open-class slot race in this part of the world.

“If look back through his career, it’s always been our policy to create the chance for as many people as possible to see him race in the flesh and to generate interest in the sport with his superstar status.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to said they’ll look after us well in Perth and that the people will absolutely love having him over there.”

Only seven major races now remain on the champion’s calendar before the final call of stud duties with the others being the New Zealand Cup in Christchurch (November 10), Blacks A Fake in Queensland (December 5), Hunter Cup in Victoria (February 13), Miracle Mile in New South Wales (March 13) and Brisbane Inter Dominion final (July 17).

Cam Brown, Racing and Wagering Western Australia’s Head of Harness Racing and Special Projects, sold the idea of buying a Nullarbor slot to Seymour.

“We’re thrilled. Leap To Fame is a horse that transcends racing codes,” Brown said. “He is the greatest standardbred of the modern era and one of the most admired racehorses in Australia, regardless of code.

“His participation in the Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup will generate enormous public interest, significant national media coverage and provide a tremendous opportunity to showcase WA harness racing on the national stage.”

With more than $6.5 million in the bank, Leap To Fame has won almost $2 million more than any other Australasian horse ever with Blacks A Fake next best. He also shares the record number of Group 1 wins with Westburn Grant and Lazarus.

Gloucester Park boss Michael Radley said the legend’s presence would lure fans through the turnstiles.

“We’ve had some great horses cross the Nullarbor in my time, including Lazarus to win the Inter Dominion a few years back, but Leap To Fame coming is next level,” Radley said.

“WA fans have watched in awe as he’s produced some amazing performances to win the biggest races around Australia and NZ, but to have him here in the flesh will be amazing. It’s just so exciting.

“The people of WA will turn out in force to see him in the flesh, not just once but twice. It’s no secret we’ve been desperate for him to come.”

Previously, through ease of travel from Queensland to New Zealand, Leap To Fame has instead contested a Cambridge slot race, who clashed with the Nullarbor.

But the Kiwi event was scrapped in recent months, creating the WA opportunity for the 72-time winner.

The rising eight-year-old resumes from a spell at his home track of Albion Park on Saturday night.

“He had a good break and everything at home says he’s as good as ever,” his trainer-driver Grant Dixon said. “We’d love to get three or four runs into him before going to NZ about a week or so before the Cup.”