Racing: Barron hoping to leapfrog into Mile

By MICHAEL GUERIN

Ken Barron believes the hopes of two Miracle Mile contenders rest on Stars And Stripes' performance at Addington tonight.

Barron is the co-trainer and driver of the speed Machine who will start a hot favourite in the $30,000 Pacing Free-For-All.

While few of the serious players from cup week have hung around for the race, Stars And Stripes is chasing much more than the winning stakes tonight.

Victory will immensely help his chances of gaining an invite to next Friday's A$400,000 Miracle Mile in Sydney. If he doesn't win he has no chance.

Five pacers have already been invited to the much-hyped sprint but Harold Park officials have the right to start eight runners this season and are likely to do so.

That leaves three spots open, with two preludes to be held at Harold Park tonight as well as the Ladyship Mile.

In the past those races have been a vital Miracle Mile lead-up, but this season they are down on quality and few of the horses competing in the heats, outside already-invited Miracle Mile defending champion Smooth Satin, could be considered for a invite.

Harold Park officials met on Wednesday to discuss issuing more invites before tonight and the big three on their list were Shakamaker, Holmes D G and Stars And Stripes.

Shakamaker is virtually certain to be invited regardless of what happens tonight and it is not impossible that both Holmes D G and Stars And Stripes could get the late call-up.

But that would mean four New Zealand-trained horses in the field, which is unlikely, and before tonight's race Holmes D G would have to be favoured over Stars And Stripes as the next Kiwi in line.

But Barron is hoping that will change with victory tonight.

"I think if we can win this we might be able to get the invite and maybe shut Holmes D G out," he said.

"I am not saying that is the way it should be but winning form might be what they are looking for and I think our performances during cup week were as good as Holmes D G's.

"But first we will have to win this race."

Tonight's 2600m mobile event contains the weakest opposition Stars And Stripes has met this season but that won't prompt Barron to change his normal sit-sprint tactics.

"I think there are enough good horses in the race to ensure the pace is on and that will suit us fine as we will look to sit in and come over top of them.

"But the other reason we won't be going too hard early is, if he does get an invite to the Miracle Mile I don't want him to have a gutbuster this week."

Meanwhile, Barry Purdon has been training Holmes D G as if a Miracle Mile invite is likely.

"I would love to take him to the race but I wasn't going to take him to the preludes tonight because he deserves better than that," he said.

"Depending how things go this week, he could get an invite and with that in mind I have to train him like he is going to be racing next week."

Purdon says the dual Miracle Mile winner has come through cup week well and, should he be invited, would be as competitive as ever.