Racing: Terror To Love may need miracle to win

Photo / Martin Hunter

Terror To Love's hate affair with Menangle may almost be complete before Saturday's A$750,000 ($824,000) Miracle Mile even starts.

The Kiwi pacer, a controversial invitee to the great race, has drawn the outside barrier in the eight-horse field and is set to start the rank outsider.

The three-time New Zealand Cup winner has drawn barrier 10 but will start from eight after the two emergencies come out, and faces the prospect of settling last and having to come widest in what could be a sub 1:50 mile.

That could continue a dreadful run at Menangle, where he has rarely finished in the money, including running last in the Miracle Mile last year.

Fellow New Zealand pacer Christen Me has fared far better, though, and will start from barrier four, right alongside hot favourite Beautide.

That suggests the last-start NZ Free-For-All winner can slot straight on to the favourite's back and get the perfect run into the race, which makes him clearly the horse Beautide has to beat.

Beautide shortened into $1.75 with Australian bookies after yesterday's draw and looks to be ideally placed to defend the title he won over Christen Me and For A Reason last season.

The final pieces of the Mile invitation puzzle were solved on Saturday night, when Suave Stuey Lombo sealed his spot with the expected all-the-way win in the A$100,000 Cordina Chicken Sprint at Menangle.

That win came as a bonus for his trainer Shane Tritton, as outsider Bettor Bet Back ran second and was rated only good enough to be a Mile emergency, so Tritton's recent New Zealand purchase Easy On The Eye got the last invitation.

His case was boosted by a third to Beautide and Guaranteed in a lead-up race last week.

However, whether his form rates alongside that of New Zealand Cup runner-up and NZ Free-For-All third placegetter Franco Nelson, whose connections were keen to start, is extremely doubtful.

Easy On The Eye's good fortune continued when he drew the ace, so he has gone from forgotten horse to Miracle Mile place chance in two Australian starts.

The final field for the Miracle Mile at Menangle on Saturday night is: Easy On The Eye (1), Avonnova (2), Beautide (3), Christen Me (4), For A Reason (5), Chariot King (6), Guaranteed (7), Suave Stuey Lombo (8), Bettor Bet Black (9), Terror To Love (10). Emergencies: Bettor Bet Black, Chariot King.