Stunning Melton trial for glamour pair

The Miracle Mile is more than five weeks away, but we got a taste of it with a Melton harness racing trial today (Jan. 31).

Former Victoria Cup winner Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven) blasted around Melton to beat champion mare Ladies In Red in a trial for the ages.

It seemed Mick Stanley was out to make a statement with Rock N Roll Doo after his disappointing and abbreviated Brisbane Inter Dominion campaign last month.

Stanley unleashed the six-year-old and blazed some scorching sectional times on his way to a 1min52.1sec mile rate for 1720m.

Ladies In Red’s driver, David Moran, was content to run his own race and let the mare finish strongly without chasing the winner.

Rock N Roll Doo won the trial easily, but Ladies In Red turned heads late with closing splits of 53.7sec (26.7 and 27sec flat).

The timing of the trial and Rock N Roll Doo’s love of Menangle make the $1mil Miracle Mile on March 9 a logical target.

The last time Rock N Roll Doo raced at Menangle, he sat parked and beat Spirit Of St Louis in the Len Smith Mile on September 2.

And speculation continues to grow that Ladies In Red will be given a very rare chance against “the boys” in the Miracle Mile.

It would also require her to tackle the boys in a qualifying sprint, given the Group 1 Ladyship Mile has been moved back to May.

Ladies In Red has not raced since winning another Group 1 in the Queen of the Pacific at Melton on November 4.

Injury and almost 12 months on the sidelines saw the champion mare race just three times in 2023 for two wins and a second.

But that Queen of the Pacific win was one of her best and most arrogant of all time.

Ladies In Red has raced just 30 times for 24 wins, six seconds and banked over $1 million.

She has raced the boys just once when she brilliantly won the 2022 Group 1 Rising Sun for three and four-year-old pacers at Albion Park.

In that race, she beat Bettor Eclipse (second) and Leap To Fame (third).

Of course, the form has been stunning, with that pair filling the quinella in last month’s Brisbane Inter Dominion final.

It will be interesting to see what lead-up racing Rock N Roll Doo and Ladies In Red have before Sydney.

Could we see one or both against Leap To Fame in Saturday week’s $100,000 Cranbourne Cup?

Regardless, the glamour pair will add plenty to the upcoming Carnival of Miracles.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia