Miracle Mile 2011: Preview, top tips, live blog

Menangle Park in Sydney’s south west hosts the 44th running of the $500,000 Miracle Mile. Be sure to join us throughout the evening as we build up to the live blog of the big race, which is due to start at 9:40pm AEST.

Harness Racing’s holy grail, the Miracle Mile, has been run since 1967 when the New South Wales Harness Racing Club decided it wanted to lure the best pacers in the country, by invitation only, to compete against each other with the aim of breaking the two minute “miracle mile” barrier for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere.

Since that first running in 1967 (when the two minutes was bettered for the first time), the miracle mile has been broken 40 times in 43 runnings of the race, including in every renewal since 1981.

And since the race moved from its home at the now defunct Harold Park to Menangle in 2009 – mile rates of 1:50.8 and 1:50.3 have been recorded in 2009 and 2010 respectively – and despite the wet, nothing should stop the two minute barrier from being broken again.

Tonight all eyes will again be on the clock; the 1:50 barrier has only been broken once in Australasia – by Smoken Up, in the Len Smith Mile at Menangle, when he went a ground-breaking 1:48.5 in April 2011 – and it will be under threat once again.

The Miracle Mile has been won by many greats of harness racing including:

Robin Dundee (inaugural winner);
Mount Eden;
Hondo Grattan (who seems to get a mention every time Fatty Vautin calls a game of Rugby League);
Paleface Adios (winner in 1976, runner-up in 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, third in 1980 and fourth in 1975);
Popular Alm;
Village Kid (twice);
Westburn Grant (twice);
Chokin (twice);
Christian Cullen (named after and possibly out-doing the champion All Blacks fullback of the same name);
Holmes DG (twice);
Sokyola (twice);
Be Good Johnny (twice), and;
Smoken Up (last year when defeating four-time Inter-Dominion winner Blacks A Fake by a nose).

Race Preview
Smoken Up. Gate: 1
The defending champion, Smoken Up comes into this race via the same route as last year. He led them up over the two miles of the New Zealand Cup before being swamped out wide by Terror To Love – who is also in this race – and finished second.

He then went to the Free For All at the same venue (Addington in Christchurch) three days later and backed up his NZ Cup second with a dominant win after controlling the tempo from in front, just as he attempted to do in the Cup.

Last year he came second in the NZ Cup and third in the Free For All so an argument could be made to suggest he’s going better this time around. He is drawn to lead or get the run behind the leader, which ordinarily would suggest he’s going to be a big chance but Smoken Up loves to do it tough, usually by sitting outside the leader before wearing it down in the home straight. He won’t be able to do that from the draw tonight.

Smoken Up loves the mile journey, and has the fastest time over a mile in the Southern Hempishere ever. Massive player.

Lisagain. Gate: 2
Lisagain is an American raider that is now trained by Tim Butt in Christchurch. This six-year old horse has had two runs in Australia since being imported from the States and he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire.

First up in the Coca-Amatil Sprint, he sat outside Franco Jamar without cover before being blitzed in the straight. Second-up last Saturday night, he had somewhat of a softer run in Group 2 class but even then couldn’t match it with Mr Feelgood and Terror To Love in the straight before running a tiring sixth position.

You don’t want to be ruling out a horse of this class after only two starts in a new country but in order to be in the finish tonight, he is going to need to improve about 25 metres on what he’s done in Australia so far. Pass.

Im Themightyquinn. Gate: 3
This Western-Australian wonder could well be the best standardbred horse in Australasia and at seven years of age, he is just beginning to hit his straps.

His best-form, which includes a second behind Smoken Up in the 2011 Inter Dominion Final in Auckland, would see him figure prominently in a Miracle Mile.

He comes into this race via three wins in lesser races at Gloucester Park in Perth where, mildly put, he is a class above the opposition he has met. He is drawn to be in the firing line and that means his driver Gary Hall Junior will have options at the start including vying for the lead, taking a trail behind the leader, sitting outside the leader or positioning for the coveted ‘one out, one back’ role.

My big bone to pick with Im Themightyquinn is his mile form. I don’t think he is a miler. He boasts a career winning strike rate of 43 per cent and a place strike rate of 77 per cent. But at the mile, he has only won 25 per cent of his races, placing in 63 per cent of them. The West Aussie is better over a longer trip and for that reason I won’t be selecting him on top.

Garnet River. Gate: 4 (Emergency 1) (not required)
Garnet River will need a scratching to gain a start in the race. His invitation comes after his third placing behind Mr Feelgood last week at Menangle. That night he got a charmed run in behind the speed before whacking away in third position down the straight.

Quite simply, he isn’t good enough to win or place in a Miracle Mile but should he get a run it would be a huge thrill for his owners.

Karloo Mick. Gate: 5
Karloo Mick is now an eleven year old and for him to be invited at that age is an achievement in itself.

Karloo Mick won the last race ever conducted at Harold Park in December 2010 (in front of a massive crowd of over 18,000). The spirit of the Miracle Mile lives on, and after his win at Harold Park on closing night, a little bit of HP history lives with Karloo Mick. As such it would be fitting to see this guy win the first Miracle Mile conducted after the closure of the famous Glebe track.

Karloo Mick was bitterly disappointing last week behind Mr Feelgood when he was beaten into ninth position. Before that, his form read just okay. If he brings his best (which saw him finish in the placings of Inter Dominions and Miracle Miles of years gone-by) he can win and I dare say, a victory by this Bathurst horse would rival the Miracle Mile wins of Paleface Adios and Popular Alm in popularity.

Karloo Mick’s regular driver Greg Bennett has been suspended as investigations by taskforce Tairora continue and replacing Bennett in the gig is Robert Morris.

Mega Alexander. Gate: 6 (Emergency 2) (not required)
Mega Alexander will need two scratchings to gain a berth. He was another that was exposed behind Mr Feelgood last week. His run, like Lisagain’s, behind Franco Jamar a week earlier was much better but with every week that passes, the grade continues to increase for Mega Alexander and therefore, it is hard to see him figuring tonight.

Mega Alexander lacks the class to place in a Miracle Mile but good luck to connections if they gain a start.

Mr Feelgood. Gate: 7
Mr Feelgood accounted for Terror To Love, Garnet River, Lisagain, Mega Alexander and Karloo Mick when winning the Cordina Sprint last weekend.

He eventually worked his way to the front before showing speed the others only dream about when winning in a fast time of 1:51.1. He will come out of gate five in all likelihood and that will allow him to push for the lead.

But he doesn’t need to lead to have any chance of winning. When he won the 2009 Inter Dominion on the Gold Coast, he sat back in the field, before using the passing lane to surprise Blacks A Fake and take the race.

There is an air of timing about this bloke. Even though his career-defining win came way back in 2009, he seems to be peaking right now.

Before winning last weekend he ran a good second to Raglan in the Newcaslte Mile. He made the necessary improvement off that run into last week and if he improves again, I think they won’t beat him.

He finished fourth in the race last year. This time around is a better horse and he is drawn to get a softer run. My top selection.

Raglan. Gate: 8
Raglan has come over from New Zealand to be prepared for this race and he looks the stronger of Tim Butt’s two runners.

His performance when winning the Newcastle Mile was brilliant. He sat in the ‘one one’ before being produced down the outside in the straight. His acceleration to run down Mr Feelgood was top class.

He then followed up that win with a dominant performance at Menangle a fortnight back when he accounted for an inferior lot of horses.

I think this bloke is the definite knock-out chance. From the gate, he is probably going to get back and there is a chance that he will need to run outrageous sectionals to come off the speed and win.

But it has been raining all week in Sydney and a wet track may be conducive to run-on horses finishing off well. One thing is for sure, the wet will slow the leaders and if they aren’t running ridiculously-quick sectionals, they are not invincible. Second top pick. I just fell over – he’s 25/1. I’ll take that thank you!

Terror To Love. Gate: 9
Terror To Love is the New Zealand Cup winner over 3200 metres. He came from last to over-power Smoken Up who had the softest lead in the world – so that takes doing.

He then came to Australia and was completely destroyed by Mr Feelgood last week in the feature sprint. He did sit without cover so perhaps first-up in the country there were excuses.

Quite simply, in my opinion, Terror To Love is better suited over a staying trip. From the gate, he will settle near last and could be the one to watch, with a view of backing him at Bankstown in the Truer Memorial in a few weeks’ time.

Franco Jamar. Gate: 10
Franco Jamar has risen through the grades in alarming fashion and perhaps if he drew near the pegs, you could back him eachway hoping that he gets a soft run and over-powers his more famous rivals in the straight.

He was invited for the Miracle Mile after winning the Coca-Cola sprint two weeks back at Menangle – it was a thoroughly impressive performance from the front.

From gate ten, this five year old horse will either use juice by going forward (as he did last start after drawing the same gate) or have no chance by going back to last. He’s drawn the short straw and it’s hard to see him winning from out there.

But he is unbeaten this season and his record at the mile is impressive – ten starts for seven wins and two minor placings.

I’m going to take him on but his price of around 13/2 indicates he has plenty of supporters. The up-and-comer.

Selections
This could be fraught with danger but I’m going to stick with the Newcastle Mile form.
1. Mr Feelgood
2. Raglan
3. Smoken Up
4. Im Themightyquinn