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Miracle Mile 2010

Harness & Greyhounds
G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
edited November -1 Harness & Greyhounds
Just over a month until the race so I thought I would start a thread.

I'm interested to hear what other forumites believe will/should be the make up of the field this year. It's always a contentious issue as it is by invitation of the club. However, this year there will be plenty of hard luck stories as the depth of the Grand circuit is very strong.

At this stage, my field in no particular order is:

Monkey King
Stunin Cullen
Blacks A fake
Mr Feelgood
Im Themightyquinn
Washakie
Smoken Up
Villagem
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Comments

  • KingKing    264 posts
    Yeah interesting time of the year, G.
    Great to see Mr Feelgood rejuvenated since being in the McCarthy barn.
    Unsure about Washakie and Villagem in your list. Maybe swap Villagem for Tintin In America depending on his fitness concerns. Although this fitness concern may be a blessing for the NSW officials if he goes that path and isnt ready for NZ Cup.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    Still a few weeks and many races top go before anything set in stone King.
    I'll have probably changed my list a few times before the end of the weekend.

    I'd love to see Tin Tin come over but was under the impression connections weren't interested in the MM.

    No doubt the picture will change after the Newcastle Mile and Cordina Sprint
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    Make mine cullen on the way up.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    said:

    Make mine cullen on the way up.

    She most likely gets invited as she won the Ladyship Mile in April. But then that makes an argument for Villagem who beat her handily in the Chariots in a faster mile rate.

    I would say if MMC wins the Kilmore Cup this Sunday she gets invited.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    Make Mine Cullen is in for sure now. Closing sectionals of 28.8 and 27.7. Sensational in a two mile stand start. Just 0.3 slower than Melpark Major closed out the Popular Alm Sprint. She's a little bit special.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    After the events of the last two weeks Make Mine Cullen and Melpark Major can be added to the list.
    Washakie is definitely off the list and it will take a trip to NSW and a most probably a win in the Newcastle Mile for ITMQ to be invited.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    Sadly age might be catching up with the champ. :(
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  • ChrisChris    5,377 posts
    Been a fair knock
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    As good as they get.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    That was still a fair run. He death seated and they didn't excactly walk. 1:55:9 for a 2680m trip is sensational. Home in 27.6 and 27.5. All credit to Mr Feelgood. I had a nice big place bet on Hesa Buzzin, which was nice.
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  • TheDarkHorseTheDarkHorse    129 posts
    I would of liked to have seen the roles reversed - Blacky was made to work hard when he was 3 deep Washakie made him earn it, Not taking anything away from Mr Feelgood he is racing like a superstar at the moment, But i wouldnt write of Blacky just yet.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    Not writing him off but he is vulnerable now,as proved last night.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    The shortlist has been announced. Bear in mind the winner of the Cordina Sprint is guaranteed a start. It's a very average bunch from NSW. NSW is flat out having a Grand Circuit standard horse let alone a MM contender:

    NEW ZEALAND
    Monkey King (1:50.8 )
    Tintin In America (1:53.2)
    Stunin Cullen (1:54.1)
    Kiwi Ingenuity (1:52.1)

    QUEENSLAND
    Mr Feelgood (1:52.1)
    Blacks A Fake (1:53.8 )
    Washakie (1:54.2)

    VICTORIA
    Smoken Up (1:50.9)
    Villagem (1:52.1)
    Make Mine Cullen (1:53.0)
    Melpark Major (1:53.7)

    WESTERN AUSTRALIA
    Im Themightyquinn (1:55.8 )
    Ima Rocket Star (1:57.2)
    Has The Answers (1:53.3)

    NEW SOUTH WALES
    Lonestar Legend (1:53.0)
    Vegas Bound (1:53.1)
    Min Min Lights (1:56.0)
    Rohan Home (1:54.7)
    Karloo Mick (1:54.2)
    Deadsetlucky (1:57.5)
    Rockets Reject (1:56.5)
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    The first two invitations have been issued: Mr Feelgood and Smoken Up.

    http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=85028
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    Villagem,Make Mine Cullen,Blacks A Fake.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    Villagem after last night has to be invited. What more can you do than break a track record while sitting three wide?

    Unless a NSW horse wins the Cordina they won't have a representative. The pool of horses just isn't good enough.

    The next announcement will be Tuesday after the NZ Cup
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    The Monkey is back!
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    That should complete the field?
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    A further three invites yesterday, we now have:

    Mr Feelgood
    Smoken Up
    Monkey King
    Blacks A Fake
    Villagem

    Efefctively there are two more invitations left as the Cordina Sprint winner automatically qualifies.
    +1 -1
  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    Newcastle Mile winner Rohan Home has received invitation number 6. Traditionally the club has invited the winner of the Newcastle Mile. I must say I thought this year would be one where an invitation wasn't forthcoming due to the strength of the race. From the outset I was finding it hard to pick a NSW rep for the race as the top tier all seem to be battling. Smoken Up gave them all a touch up (Rohan Home 15m 8th) with plenty in reserve on 5th November at Menangle which illustrated just how far behind they are. On paper Rohan Home's win in the Newcastle Mile looks impressive but the race was very much set up for him by stablemate Lonestar Legend and he received the run of the race.

    This leave 2 spots remaining, one of which will be filled by the winner of this week's Cordina Chickens Sprint. Prestigious race, horrible name.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    They are bias though GMAC.If RH gets a run at the expense of MMC its pathetic.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    Of course they're biased Blackie. It's their club, their race, and their conditions. Nobody ever said otherwise. It has always been an invitational race at the discretion of the club. This comment comes up every year and the club doesn't care. As far as they're concerned if people don't like it then find another mile race worth half a million to go run in. It's not like they have been given a directive by HRA to pick the best 8 horses in Australasia and they have an obligation to do so. It's the NSWHRC's party and they'll invite who they like.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    The trots in NSW are probably the only ones i've never really taken any notice of over time.Harold Park is a shocker and wont be missed,should have at least had a sprint lane years ago been a city track.John Tapp was always against it,which sums up how few are really running the show there.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    edited November 2010
    The track is redundant for metro class racing and certainly too small now for something like the Miracle Mile. That can be said about most half mile tracks. Its redeeming features are the camber on the home turn which allows you to track wide and get momentum and the length of the straight. It is a brilliant track to punt on once you learn how to read it. It would have been kept for Tier 2 and the odd Tier 1 meeting if it wasn't in the inner city. It is just too hard for trainers to float their horses there, particularly on a Friday evening.

    I'm neither here nor there on sprint lanes. There are more in NSW against them than just J Tapp. The general consensus is that if you find yourself 3 pegs you should take initiative to get into a winning position, not be rewarded for it with a soft run up the lane.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    I see your point GMAC,but on the other hand it opens up races,which would otherwise be over after the start.
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    It depends on the field Blackie. If there is only 1 or 2 winning chances then daylight to the rest in the race and they both find the front it will be a procession. Not even a sprint lane will change that. And that is on all tracks in all codes.

    The answer is not in sprint lanes but improving field depth. NSW has lost plenty of depth in the last ten years, mainly in the C4-8 range. Trainers don't want to bother with the effort of taking one of these horses all the way to HP every Friday night on the chance they may win one or two metro class races in a season. It isn't worth the effort for them. So you see smaller fields dominated by big stables. These are the horses that, if they get the right trip, can give the race a shake. The loss of this population means you have a $1.80 fave, $2.50 second pick, and $10 and upwards the rest.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    Saucy Legend got an invite too,but declined. :roll:
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    That was last year Blackie. And he was going great guns there too and deserved an invitation. Unfortunately in his prep for the ID (which connections wanted to save him up for) he got an infection and missed that series and plenty more racing later on. He hasn't recaptured that form which is a real shame for connections.
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  • BlacksAFakeBlacksAFake    2,375 posts
    My mistake,what price Motu Crusader tomorrow night GMac?
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,612 posts
    Class act and a class driver. Lovely race too with some of my current favourites in it like Dasher VC, Crombie, and David Hercules.
    Take into account the gate and the fact he has drawn 7 and has a lot of pace drawn inside. But he can rattle off a great last half and A McCarthy will give him the best trip possible. $2.20
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