The New South Wales Harness Racing Club today invited the arch rivals Smoken Up and Im Themightyquinn to contest the 2011 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday 26 November.
In a major coup, both trainers have accepted the invitations on behalf of their respective connections.
Smoken Up, the reigning Miracle Mile champion and the Tabcorp Park Menangle track record holder, exploded back into winning form at Addington this afternoon, claiming the New Zealand Free For All.
His trainer-driver Lance Justice was ecstatic with the performance.
“Smoken Up was a bit jaded by the flight over to New Zealand which left him vulnerable in the Cup, but he went into today’s race cherry ripe,” Justice said.
“The only disappointing part was the windy conditions which prevented us from having a crack at the track record.”
On the other side of Australasia, Gary Hall Snr, the trainer of the freakish West Australian Im Themightyquinn, was busy finalising travel arrangements for his star pacer after receiving the invitation.
“We’ve chartered a direct flight to Sydney, so he’ll be there”, Hall declared.
“The horse will arrive two days before the Miracle Mile which is perfect for me because I can give him his final workout at home”.
“I’d like to thank the Club for recognising our horse. I think everybody would agree that it wouldn’t be a Miracle Mile without Im Themightyquinn and Smoken Up in the race”, he added.
The NSWHRC Chief Executive John Dumesny agreed.
“These two horses are terrific for harness racing and another match-up between the them is very exciting for the club and the event.”
Smoken Up and Im Themightyquinn join Raglan, the winner of last Saturday night’s Newcastle Mile, as the only three runners assured of a start in Sydney’s signature race.
The winner of tomorrow night’s Coca-Cola Amatil Sprint at Tabcorp Park Menangle also receives a ticket into the Miracle Mile as does the winner of the Cordina Sprint next Saturday.
Directors of the club will again invoke their discretionary powers for issuing invitations, however those invitations will only come from those three lead-up races.
