Minx in the mix

Fortify (Bettor’s Delight), Millwood Nike (Captaintreacherous) and What A Minx (Art Major) are three of the six starters in tomorrow night’s (May 4) Magness Benrow Sires Stakes Three Year Old Fillies Heat at Alexandra Park, and all three fillies were broken in by harness racing trainer Stephen Boyd of West Melton, near Christchurch.

Boyd broke in Fortify and Millwood Nike for Mark and Nathan Purdon and What A Minx for himself. 

“We had Fortify for a couple of preps and just did the one prep with Millwood Nike. To be perfectly honest Millwood Nike was just a normal run of the mill horse who wasn’t in the top bracket of fillies. If you’d told me she’d win twelve in a row I would have said no not really. It’s amazing how they change. Fortify on the other hand was a complete standout when we broke her in,” Boyd said. 

Millwood Nike will be at very skinny odds tomorrow night and Boyd says she’s likely to continue on her winning way but he’s hopeful that What A Minx can run up to her southern form.

At her last start on Diamonds Day in Invercargill on April 23rd she ran third behind Treacherous Gall (Captaintreacherous) and Sweet Diamond (Sweet Lou) in the Group Two Southern Oaks.

“I was happy with the run. She got beaten by two very smart ones and hopefully she’ll improve on the run. It’s definitely worth the trip up because you never know what can happen in racing. She’s travelled up from Southland to Auckland, so it’s been a big trip. She had a cancelled ferry crossing and had to stay at Blenheim overnight, so it’s taken her three days to get there. I was talking to Sean McCaffery (where she’s staying) yesterday and he said she seemed bright.”

What A Minx draws gate three in the fillies feature and will be driven by Todd Mitchell.

“You hope she’ll get a nice run from that draw and be in the top four. Obviously, Mark’s horses are going to dominate the race.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink