Mile Field Finalised
22 November 2008

The field for the $500,000 SEW-Eurodrive Miracle Mile next Friday night at Harold Park has been decided
Robin Hood, pictured winning the 2007 Victoria Cup, forced his way into the field with a stunning victory in the Cordina Sprint.
Tonight, Directors of the NSW Harness Racing Club finalised the remaining four spots for the famous sprint, which is regarded as the unofficial Australasian championship.

Robin Hood, Iron Hudge, Divisive, and Deanna Troy have joined the already invited Blacks A Fake, Melpark Major, Changeover and Special Albert in the elite eight-horse field.

Going into tonight’s Cordina Chickens Ladyship Mile and Sprint meeting at Harold Park, just two spots had remained in the Miracle Mile before the shock withdrawals of defending champion Be Good Johnny and brilliant New Zealander,Auckland Reactor.

Robin Hood forced his way into the field with a stunning victory in the Cordina Sprint, where he sat wide for a majority of the trip but still rated a fast 1:55.8.

In the process, he beat hot favourite and threetime Inter Dominion winner, Blacks A Fake, who carried a flat tyre.

Victorian-trained mare Deanna Troy led throughout to win the Ladyship Mile in 1:56.6, securing her ticket to the big one.

Both the Ladyship Mile and Sprint winner were to be driven by Gavin Lang, however, he was hospitalised today and the drives were taken by Blake Fitzpatrick (Deanna Troy) and Joshua Willick (Robin Hood).

The Directors have also named two reserves in Make Me Smile (1st) and Master Of Disguise (2nd).

MIRACLE MILE FIELD
Friday, November 28 – Harold Park


BLACKS A FAKE
MELPARK MAJOR
CHANGEOVER
SPECIAL ALBERT
ROBIN HOOD
IRON HUDGE
DIVISIVE
DEANNA TROY
MAKE ME SMILE (1st Res)
MASTER OF DISGUISE (2nd Res)

Go Blackie.

Race 6 SEW EURODRIVE MIRACLE MILE 9:40 PM
An event open to a maximum eight Pacers (inclusive of Reserves) invited to compete by the Directors of the New South Wales Harness Racing Club.(All starters to commence from the Front Row with the Reserves (if any) drawn with the invited Pacers).RBD. Prizemoney: $500,000
1760 METRES TRIFECTA, QUINELLA, EXACTA, FIRST4 MOBILE START
Form Horse Trainer Other Eng. Driver Class Hcp
1 62131 SPECIAL ALBERT W J Dawson Michael Dawson C17 M8 FR1
2 11113 BLACKS A FAKE N C Rasmussen Natalie Rasmussen C33 M28 FR2
3 14632 MASTER OF DISGUISE (Em 2) B P Hancock (Hdpark 28/11/2008) Darren Hancock C13 M3 FR-
4 4s111 DEANNA TROY G A Lang Blake Fitzpatrick C14 M4 FR3
5 31322 IRON HUDGE NZ M C Rolfe Mark Rolfe C7 M2 FR4
6 15213 CHANGEOVER NZ G C Small David Butcher C19 M14 FR5
7 2s213 DIVISIVE P H Rixon Peter Rixon C13 M7 FR6
8 6s271 ROBIN HOOD P W Tonkin Joshua Willick C16 M11 FR7
9 11185 MAKE ME SMILE (Em 1) P R J Fitzpatrick Gavin Fitzpatrick C19 M14 FR-
10 13111 MELPARK MAJOR A R Tubbs Amy Tubbs C12 M7 FR8

November 26, 2008 12:00am

SHE may not remember the first but Natalie Rasmussen will never forget the final Miracle Mile run at Harold Park this Friday.

The smiling blonde and her hulking pacer Blacks A Fake are set to create harness racing history if they can win the final running of the signature sprint at the 106-year-old Glebe circuit.

The Miracle Mile has been a Harold Park institution since it was first run in 1967 but the famous dash is to be moved to Menangle Park, the future home of harness racing in NSW, from next year.

It is a race that captures the imagination. The fastest eight horses from Australia and New Zealand bustling their way around the historic concrete cauldron.

A race that Rasmussen, during her teenage years, dreamed of one day attending. Now 31, the Queensland trainer-driver has control of the best pacer in the country and $1.75 favourite for the $500,000 event.

"I can not exactly remember the first Miracle Mile I watched but it has always been a race that has excited me," she said. "It is such a good spectacle because only the fastest horses make it.

"I never thought I would ever have a horse good enough to be involved in such a race, let alone the favourite."

Rasmussen was born into a harness racing family and became involved in the sport before graduating from nappies.

She would help her father, Vic, a former trainer himself, around the stables before and after school.

Natalie, along with her sisters Kylie and Vicki, were a vital component of the Rasmussen team and were competent drivers by age 10.

"We would all help Dad out whenever we could and were around horses for as long as I can remember," she said. "We got involved in the mini-trotters from a very young age and have never looked back."

While her sisters have kept a low profile, Natalie has emerged as a dominant figure in the sport, training and driving the richest pacer in Australian history.

Together, Rasmussen and Blacks A Fake have won three InterDominions, a Hunter Cup, Victoria Cup and more than $3 million in prize- money. They finished second to Be Good Johnny in 2006, their only previous Miracle Mile start.

Rasmussen is confident "Blacky" can make history as the final Miracle Mile winner at Harold Park.

"He has been such a great horse, he deserves every accolade he receives," she said.

Rasmussen believes winning the Miracle Mile would sit slightly behind her three InterDominion victories.

"Not many horses get to win three of anything so it will be hard to top the InterDominions," she said.

"But the Miracle Mile is one race that we haven't won and it would be right up there."

Race 6 Harold Park NSW Final Field
SEW EURODRIVE MIRACLE MILE MS 1760m

Only Win Betting is available on this race
Sportsbet No. Runner Win Place
41001 BLACKS A FAKE (2) 1.75 0.00
41002 CHANGEOVER (6) 5.00 0.00
41006 MELPARK MAJOR (10) 8.00 0.00
41005 IRON HUDGE (5) 10.00 0.00
41004 DIVISIVE (7) 12.00 0.00
41007 ROBIN HOOD (8) 13.00 0.00
41008 SPECIAL ALBERT (1) 23.00 0.00
41009 MAKE ME SMILE (9) 71.00 0.00
41003 DEANNA TROY 0c 22/11 21:00 scr scr
41010 MSTR DISGUISE 0c 28/11 15:00 scr scr

Odds updated at: 4:55:33 PM Fri 28 Nov 2008

My Tips

1st BLACKS A FAKE
2nd ROBIN HOOD
3rd MELPARK MAJOR
4th DIVISIVE

I hope my favourite pacer Robin Hood gets the cash but i think Blacks A Fake will turn the tables on him. cheers dougie

1st 7 41004 - DIVISIVE 16.50 2.60
2nd 10 41006 - MELPARK MAJOR 1.90
3rd 9 41009 - MAKE ME SMILE 7.30
4th 5 41005 - IRON HUDGE NZ 0.00
Qin 7 - 10 53.50
Exa 7 - 10 129.50
Due 7 - 10 15.80
Due 7 - 9 41.00
Due 10 - 9 20.90
Tri 7 - 10 - 9 2002.60
Ffr 7 - 10 - 9 - 5 10731.00
D-d 5 - 7 120.10
R-d 1 - 7 45.90

I think this might be for many one of those 'anti-climax' times but good luck to Divisive, his connections, his backers and his fans.

Massive run Melpark Major. This horse (if he isn't allready) is going to be the testing material of Grand Circuit races this season. l can't wait until he gets to a suitable distance.