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February 06
Edition

Pages in PDF

Regular
Features

› Son Of A Gun
  with Mick Pacholli

› Fab's Ravings

› Technology
  with Chris Jacobs

› Are You
  Puzzled?
  with
  Narelle Stegehuis

› Family Issues
  with
  Marilyn Brideson

› Planet Clare

› Lovatts
  Crossword

› Live Theatre
  with Blair Edgar

› Movie Scene
  with
  Charlie Alexander

› Entertainment
  with Gary Turner

› Grazing in the
  Suburbs
  with Mick Pacholli

› Fab's Travel

› Talking Manure
  with Mick Pacholli

› Furry Friends
  with
  Dr Graeme Smith

› Racing
  with Ted Ryan

› Rant & Rave
  with
  Paddles Hackett

› Bowls
  with Mick Pacholli

› Motoring
  with Garry Fabian

› Short Cuts
  Writers
  Competition

Exciting Times Ahead for Milers

Over 200 of the world’s best thoroughbred milers have been nominated for the rich Asia Mile Challenge of which the Melbourne Racing Club will be one of the participants for the first time.

Melbourne Racing Club Chief Executive, Warran Brown, pictured below, said that the quality and quantity of the nominations represented an exciting beginning to this year’s expanded series.

“The depth of the series’ nominations from the four host countries is outstanding and we are also delighted to have attracted entries from so many major racing nations around the globe”.

“This is a highly encouraging start for the expanded series and I am sure the level of interest will continue to build in future years”, Mr. Brown commented.

“Our involvement in the Asian Mile Challenge is the latest chapter in a very exciting period for the Melbourne Racing Club and we encourage the connections of the local stars and the many international based milers that have been nominated for the series to take up the challenge by contesting the first leg, the Futurity Stakes at Classic Caulfield, on Saturday March 4”, he added.

Class Nominations

Some of the class gallopers nominated from Australia include, rising weight for age star, Lad of the Manor, Desert War from the powerful Gai Waterhouse stable, who won the Group One Epsom Handicap over the mile.

Victoria Derby winner Benicio, was nominated but a leg injury will most likely cause him to miss.

Another star who was under a cloud early, El Segundo, may now be ready in time although at the time of going to press his trainer Colin Little was concerned with abscesses, which is holding up his progress.

God’s Own, prepared by the Melbourne Cup king Bart Cummings, is another who has been nominated going on his sensational win in the three-year old mile classic - the Caulfield Guineas. Last but not least is the brilliant galloper Regal Roller in the care of Clinton Mc Donald and a winner of three group one races in Melbourne to date.

Overseas Nominees

The overseas nominations reads like a ‘who’s who’. From Great Britain there were 11 nominations with the top two chances most likely to be Majors Cast, still on the improve after a close fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and Nayyir, a multiple pattern winner and a very consistent miler of recent years.

Hong Kong nominated 38 runners, with the best the world’s champion sprinter, Silent Witness, Bullish Luck (Hong Kong’s Champion miler 2004/5 after his champion milers swoop) and a very exciting young miler and group one winner in waiting, Danacourt.

Japan nominated 90 - the highest number. With their main chance Deep Impact, a superstar in his homeland after his 2005 feats of sweeping to a first Japanese triple crown in 11 years-and only the sixth ever.

Another that stands out is Hat Trick with stunning victories to come from well off the pace to capture the mile championship in Japan and the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile.

The best of the others appears to be Cesario, who recorded a unique Japanese and American Oaks Double in 2005.

Singapore had seven nominations with their two best being Big Easy (a group one rising star for former New Zealand trainer Laurie Laxon) and Terfel who is the reigning Singapore Gold Cup Champion.

Four nominations were received from South Africa with their best chance appearing to be Lundy’s Liability a former UAE Derby Hero and gained group two’s in the United States.

Mullins Bay is a very smart group three winner in Europe in 2005 (now with international trainer Mike De Kock), while Right Approach dead-heated for the Dubai Duty Free in 2004.

Thirty four nominations were received from the United Arab Emirates with their best chance being Valaxir, a dual group one winner for the Aga Khan last term, now with the powerful Godolphin stable. Another Godolphin entrant is Caradak who is in top European form and a recent close runner up in group one company. Another with top credentials is Yard-Arm who was horse of the year and five times group one hero in South Africa.

American interests have nominated only two entries with their best chance being Badge of Silver, a winner of the group two San Gabriel last start for owner Ken Ramsay, who raced Dubai World Cup conqueror, Roses in May.

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Legs of the 2006 Asian Mile Challenge

TheThe first leg will be the Futurity Stakes to be run at Caulfield over 1600 metres, a Group One Event worth US $527,000.

The second leg will be run in Dubai, the Dubai Duty Free, a Group One over 1777 metres, worth US$5 million run on March 27.

Next the Champions Mile in Hong Kong on May 7, over 1600 metres, a Group one event worth US$1.033 million.

The final leg will be run in Tokyo on June 4, the Yasuda Kinen, over 1600 metres with US $1.86 million up for grabs.

In all total prize money of US$8.6 million can be won.

Bonus Structure

US $4 million = Bonus for a sweep of all four Asian Mile Challenge races.
US $2 million = Bonus for three wins.
US $1 million =Bonus for two wins.

Now that ain’t hay, and the Australians are not without a big chance, especially over the 1600 metre trip.