Miracle Mile 2024, Chariots of Fire and MM Qualifying Races

[Messenger]

Well we have the Newcastle Mile tonight
The Gp2 is worth $100k
Leap To Fame will start from 5 and would appear to have all the competition well and truly covered

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=NR230224#NRC23022408

[Messenger]

Too easy and now that he is qualified and can have a fortnight off before the MM, he has a huge advantage over all the others (as if he didn't already)

[Messenger]

The Chariots and the MM qualifiers fields are out

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=PC020324

Emma Stewart would be pretty happy with her marbles

[Messenger]

I would like to be at Menangle on Saturday
Races 5 - 10 should be superb
Tune in about 8.20 folks

[Messenger]

Speak The Truth wins the Cordina in 1.48.7 in the Death

My truth is - that is just too much improvement for my liking
That is 3 seconds faster than he has ever gone before
And I am not just talking winning times - regardless of finishing position, he has never gone within 3 seconds of that time (much less in the Death)
That is an improvement of 43m
on his best time 10 months ago at this same track
a year older and stronger will see improvement but 43m sitting in the death (as opposed to leading)

That was the first time Ladies in Red has not finished in the first two
Ordinary drive by David Moran thinking that was the right time to move IMO
Great run my the mare considering - especially first up

[Messenger]

Just minutes until the Allied Express and tonight's dedicated Trot channel spent minutes interviewing the trainer/driver of a $51 pop in the Chariots ?????

[Messenger]

The Allied Express was smooth sailing for Jeff as was the Chariots for Frankie
Don't Stop Dreaming has been up for 5mths and probably looking for a spell. I wonder what Mark Purdon was fined $800 for?

[Messenger]

2nd in the Chariots - Sooner The Bettor gets one of the selected MM last spots
Absolutely ridiculous that 6th placed Don't Stop Dreaming gets the last spot
There were many more deserving from the Cordina and Allied

[Messenger]

The draw

[gutwagon]

Easily the weakest MM field in my lifetime !

[gutwagon]

Wow haven't the Stewart/Tonkin horses lost a leg since they became aware of the treatment rules !

[trish]

Yes it seems that way, doesn't it.

[Danno]

Easily the weakest MM field in my lifetime !

G'day Rick, I agree we have had stronger MM Fields, but at least one weaker than this comes to mind and that would be Bay Foyle's edition in the early seventies in my humble opinion. Bay Foyle was an exceptional juvenile and a very nice horse, but he won his races on his manners, not raw ability and the MM's results are usually influenced far more by raw talent than racing manners..

[Messenger]

That MM was a bit of an anti-climax Dan but there were some Very good horses in it
At least this year we have champion in Leap To Fame in it - whether the mile really suits him is another matter
Although I think it ridiculous that Dreaming got a gig, he may one day be considered something pretty special although once again I am not sure it will be for mile racing

[Messenger]

Hi Manameisjeff $3.10 is challenging Leap To Fame $3.00 for favouritism!

Speak The Truth is $4.60. When STT (6th) last met LTF (1st) 3mths ago in the Inter, he was $41 while LTF was $2.30

Nobody likes the horse that has won 10 in a row. Will the lack of a break play against him?

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=PC090324#PCM09032401

[Messenger]

I wonder whether we have ever had a MM where three runners have won their previous 5 starts?

[Messenger]

Could Spirit Of St Louis finish 2nd in three straight MM's?

[Jasper]

I think he has a real shot at winning it this year re feeling that it might be a roughies year.

[Messenger]

My problem with the MM and all mile racing is how important barrier draws can be
What odds would Leap To Fame be if he had drawn 2?
Whatever became of the angled mobile barrier experiment?

[Messenger]

Free Entry: Admission for night two of the Sky Racing Carnival of Miracles is free, however you must pre-register to secure your spot.

You cannot just rock up ?!

https://www.clubmenangle.com.au/events/garrards-miracle-mile-2024/

[Jasper]

My problem with the MM and all mile racing is how important barrier draws can be
What odds would Leap To Fame be if he had drawn 2?
Whatever became of the angled mobile barrier experiment?

Would bringing it back to six starters make a difference? I use to like the invitational aspect to the MM. Now it seems like it is just another race.

[Messenger]

I contemplated that too but I think that in all likelihood that would result in single file and nobody prepared to go to the death
As it is now, nobody other than an iron horse like LTF is going to want the death but with 8 the last two when the field settles after the start, know that they cannot win from there (unless there has been a war on up front) and can sometimes figure that if they go to the death early, there is a chance that someone else will still come around (and give them cover). Generally you need horses rotating into the death to get any pressure on the leader

[Messenger]

Hearing that barrier 7 and 8 have never won the MM - that is an argument for just 6 starters

[Messenger]

No.7 is an excellent barrier :D
Don't you love it when the BEST horse wins

[Messenger]

The premier sires came to the fore last night

Art Major 3 wins
Bettors Delight 2 wins
Captaintreacherous 2 wins
Sweet Lou 1 win

[Jasper]

LTF - great horse/great win but unlike the other two horses that won the Triple Crown (which I didn’t know was a thing) he hasn’t won any race of note on a half mile track, to the best of my knowledge. Maybe a trip West re the 2024 Nullarbor could address this anomaly. Interesting that the other two TC winners are Western Australian (according to the reports) and from a time when many horses would travel to participate in the big eastern state races (and many interstates would travel to WA).

Also the Stewards reports are not up yet, is that normal?

Re MM final thoughts- I wasn’t too far off with my roughy prediction re 2nd horse. Naturally I backed the wrong outsider and did my dough! I hope other posters backed LTF though.

[Messenger]

Not sure about NSW stewards reports but Vic metros can sometimes take days