Racing: Trio give us great shot at glory

The second 400m of tomorrow's A$500,000 Miracle Mile will determine the chances of the three Kiwis in the super sprint.

And the drivers of Auckland Reactor, Monkey King and Kiwi Ingenuity will be hoping their Australian rivals back up their aggressive words with some equally aggressive tactics.

The trio of speed freaks give us our best chance of Miracle Mile glory in years but both Monkey King and Auckland Reactor could be back in the early rush, while Kiwi Ingenuity's driver Robbie Holmes has already indicated he will look for a trail in the running line.

Which is why the second 400m of the race could decide their chances.

Everybody expects Australasian mile record holder Smoken Up to press on toward the lead and be setting the pace after 400m.

If he is allowed an easy next section of the race he and those close to the pace will roar over the last 800m at blistering speed and equines of that calibre won't be coming back to the Kiwis.

But if Smoken Up has to burn early and then keep the pedal down through the entire opening 800m of the race, it will set up beautifully for the New Zealand challengers.

Put simply, an opening 800m of 56 seconds or faster and the back runners, almost certainly the New Zealanders, will get their chance to slingshot over the top down the long Menangle straight.

An opening 800m much slower than 56 seconds and the leaders may not stop, meaning those in the second half of the field will need - excuse the pun - a miracle.

And that is why New Zealand drivers Tony Herlihy, Ricky May and Holmes will be hoping two warrior women from Australia help them out.

Amy Tubbs drives Melpark Major and Natalie Rasmussen as always partners Blacks A Fake.

Blacks A Fake will be going forward soon after the start because he knows no other way but Tubbs' father Alan, who trains Melpark Major, wants his daughter to get to the parked position first and pressure Smoken Up.

"From what I know of Smoken Up and mile racing on the big track, if we let him away with an easy second quarter we won't catch him," says Tubbs.

"So we have to keep the pressure on and make it a hard mile."

That scenario, with Melpark Major parked and Blacks A Fake three wide with one of the New Zealanders following him home is the dream come true for the Kiwis. But Miracle Mile build-ups are notorious for connections saying one thing and doing another under the pressure of the big occasion.

So what happens in the crucial second quarter of the mile should completely change the outcome.

One man who won't be worrying about it too much is Herlihy, who drives Auckland Reactor for only the second time.

His first concern will be making sure the super-charged champ doesn't start to over-race, as he has done on several occasions this year.

"I think with the pace likely to be on he will be fine and being driven off the speed in a race like this might suit him," said Herlihy.

"I know they are all great horses but he is good enough to come from behind them to win if there is a good tempo."

Herlihy, like the rest of us, could know his fate by the end of that second 400m.

But it might just be a case of the best horse having the best trainer and best driver.

With Auckland Reactor likely to nudge $4 on the tote tomorrow, he looks worth the risk.

MIRACLE MILE
* A $500,000, 1609m, Menangle, NSW. 6.40pm tomorrow.
* 1: Lonestar Legend: Former US age group star but suspect on big tracks. Likely trails give him trifecta hope.
* Kiwi Ingenuity: Better suited here than NZ Cup. Will be handy without working but will need luck at crucial stage.
* 3: Smoken Up: Everybody's leader and holds Australasian mile record. Very hard to run down if he gets an easy 400m.
* 4: Monkey King: In career-best form and will be flying home. Question is will mid-race tempo suit?
* 5: Karloo Mick: Tough but hard to see him outsprinting these.
* 6: Melpark Major: Should have won this race last year. Great horse back in form and the each way value.
* 7: Auckland Reactor: Moment of truth, if they go hard enough he gets his chance. Big track suits beautifully.
* 8: Blacks A Fake: True champion but mile racing not his strong suit. At best will be parked, which is a hard way to win a Miracle Mile.
* Selections: Auckland Reactor, Smoken Up, Monkey King.