Wonder mare hoping to book her spot in Miracle Mile

David Moran anticipates champion harness racing mare Ladies In Red will produce a forward showing first-up in the Cordina Group Sprint at Menangle on Saturday night.

He also expects the six-year-old to derive plenty of benefit from the run, which should hold her in good stead should she gain a berth in the Group 1 Miracle Mile the following week.

“She has done a lot of work and trialled well, and I’m sure she’ll run really well,” Moran said.

Ladies In Red, who hasn’t raced since her stunning victory in the Group 1 Queen Of The Pacific in November, won a trial at Melton defeating Mach Dan in 1:52.6 a fortnight ago.

Moran concedes it will be difficult to predict how the race will unfold for Ladies In Red from barrier three.

“The draw makes it a bit tricky. The pole will probably hold the front, but after that it’s hard to pick exactly what will happen in the run,” he said.

The Michael Stanley-trained Rock N Roll Doo hit the line strongly at Menangle last week when third behind Fire Fox in 1:49.2.

Stanley has opted to hand the reins to champion driver Anthony Butt, who was aboard Rock N Roll Doo when third behind Fire Fox last week.

“It was the first time I had driven him in 12 months and he gave me the feel of a horse still on the way up,” Butt said.

“He took a while to wind up last week, but he hit the line strongly. Barrier two is perfect for him and he should be 110 per cent,” he said.

The Emma Stewart-trained Mach Dan heads the Victorian contingent in the Allied Express Sprint.

A noted slick beginner, Mach Dan has drawn the pole and the last start Geelong Rocket winner looks to have his opportunity to finish in the first two across the line. A top-two result, like in the Cordina Group Sprint, will secure an invitation to the Miracle Mile.

Better Eclipse, who took out the 2022 Chariots Of Fire, has to contend with a wide draw and it will take all the considerable skill of Greg Sugars for the six-year-old to enjoy a run in transit which will materialise into a Miracle Mile berth.

Moran also has Victoria’s sole representative, Captain Hammerhead, in the Group 1 Chariots Of Fire this Saturday night.

The son of Captaintreacherous was desperately unlucky when finishing fifth behind Better Be The Best in the Paleface Adios Stakes last Saturday.

“He was really good last week,” he said.

“I just had nowhere to go in the straight and I was more concerned in beating enough horses home to qualify for the Chariots. When I gave him a flick near the line, he took off.”

Moran is under no illusions as to the magnitude of the task at hand in one of the strongest Chariots fields in recent memory.

“I reckon I’ll be chasing tails from the start out in (barrier) five, but it’s just nice to be in the race,”
he said.

“If it wasn’t on the same night, I reckon there are four of five horses in it that would be good enough to receive an invitation to the Miracle Mile.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harness Racing Victoria