After three years – he’s back

It’s 1,211 days since Take The Miki (Always B Miki) last raced – a long time between drinks. But tomorrow the giant gelding will make a comeback at Oamaru for Rakaia trainer Warren Stapleton.

Take The Miki showed plenty of talent as a three year old for trainers Steven Reid and Simon McMullan and he won two races in a row in 2022. Disaster struck at his next start however, when the sulky seat came adrift, tossing Reid from the cart and causing the horse to be disqualified.

TAKE THE MIKI – SULKY MISHAP REPLAY

After that mishap Take The Miki ran a second and third placing before the owners decided to send him to Australian trainer Luke McCarthy.

“They wanted to turn him into something special, make him into a grand circuit horse and help their broodmare. McCarthy really liked him and I think he trialled in 1-51 over there. A couple of weeks later a leg blew up,” Stapleton said.

The owners flew the horse back to Auckland and he was floated south to Rakaia where he’s been ever since.

“It’s been a long drawn out affair. I’ve pulled most of my hair out and I didn’t have much before I started! He’s been in and out of work off and on. I tried one preparation on him and that didn’t work, but he is sound.”

In preparation for his return to the races Stapleton has taken Take The Miki to two workouts at Methven.

“He’s really suited to the grass. He’s a massive, big staying horse, bloody near eighteen hands.”

And in acknowledgement of the length of time the six year old has been away from racedays, HRNZ has granted a handicap concession.

“Obviously he’s not going to reach the heights he looked like reaching early on, so they’ve been kind to him.”

Stapleton who’s patched up plenty of unsound horses, says getting Take The Miki back to the races has been one of his biggest challenges.

“There’s been a couple of times over the last two or three years I’ve looked in the mirror and thought, what the hell are you doing? Anyway, we’ve got him there and put it this way, if he was to win I wouldn’t be surprised.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink