Champion filly makes it 14 on end in G1 Sires Stakes final

Australasian harness racing’s pin-up girl, Millwood Nike (Captaintreacherous) has overcome an injury scare on the eve of the $119,000 G1 Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies final to claim her 14th victory on end in dominant fashion at Alexandra Park this evening.

To this point, the only thing that could stop the Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained superstars winning run is bad luck, and fortunately for all concerned, that wasn’t the case with the unbeaten filly taking her place after being a race day decision.

If her foot was troubling her, she certainly didn’t show any signs of it, putting away her high-caliber opposition with ease.

They say all G1s are earned and while you could argue the most recent pair of Alexandra Park G1s were merely precessions, Millwood Nike was made to work for her 5th Group One honours.

Purdon and Millwood Nike were forced to sit outside a quality filly in the Telfer/Cullen trained Sweet Diamond (Sweet Lou) for much of the 2200m journey, but as she has done every time she has set foot on a racetrack, she proved she is quite possibly as good as any filly we have seen in this country bar none.

“You have to thank her farrier, Kerry, he got a nice shoe on her, and she was 100% tonight but she is just all class,” said trainer-driver Purdon post-race.

“She relaxed out there and took nothing out of herself, she just moved when I asked her too and she was just beautiful. I thought the front might have been there for me, but I could see the leader was over racing a touch for Johnny and my filly was quite happy to sit outside her. She came back to me nicely and took nothing out of herself.

“She is right up there with them, if the (Northern) Derby had of been a week later, we would have been keen to line her up in that, but the (Northern) Oaks was on the same night. She is right up there with the best three-year-olds (of either sex),” he said.

post-race

Millwood Nike had two lengths to spare on her stablemate Fortify (Bettor’s Delight) and Natalie Rasmussen who secured her charge a dream run in the trail after finding an early lead and handing up to Sweet Diamond.

The Cran and Chrissie Dalgety trained Black Pearl (Bettor’s Delight) bounced backed brilliantly from a disappointing Southland Oaks run to claim a G1 placing in third having lobbed the one-one sit throughout.

The winning time of 2:42.3 may have been the slowest for a decade but take nothing away from the winner who paced the last mile in 1:58.7 having not seen the marker pegs throughout. The closing sectionals were 57.5 and 28.1.

MILLWOOD NIKE REPLAY

On hand to soak up the festivities was co-owner and New Zealand rugby league icon, Frank Endacott.

“We’re very lucky,” said Endacott to Craig Thompson post-race.

“There were four of us here tonight, I think the other owner was sitting on top of a pyramid in Egypt somewhere trying to get reception. We are just thrilled whether she runs first or last, as long as she gets round sound, that’s the main thing.

“This is one of the best thrills I have ever had in my lifetime, I have always loved harness racing and I go back about 40 years ago when I had my first one. I’ve had a number of winners, but nothing like this filly and this is a ride I hope continues for a while yet,” he said.

For complete Alexandra Park race fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink