Miracle Mile – how the stats stack up

SINCE its inception, the Miracle Mile has become the event that captures the imagination – and opinion – of the harness racing population.

Developed in 1967, the Group One was designed with a single mission in mind…creating a ‘miracle’.

To be more precise, the dream was to see the two-minute barrier broken for the first time under race conditions in Australia.

To everyone’s delight, New Zealand wonder mare Robin Dundee achieved the feat during inaugural running, stopping the clock in 1:59.

This year enthusiasts are hoping to see another miracle, with the world record 1:46 touted as a possibility.

At minimum, the 1:47.5 Australasian record – set in the 2016 Miracle Mile by Have Faith In Me – is expected to tumble given the speed of the elite eight-horse field.

As we count down to Saturday’s edition at Menangle, here are some statistics on the race which has become ultimate speed test on this side of the equator.

SEX OF WINNERS:

22 Stallions – (Last winner – Lennytheshark, 2017

25 Geldings – (Last winner – Have Faith In Me, 2016

3 Mares – (Robin Dundee, 1967 – Norms Daughter, June 1996 – Baby Bling, April 2013)

AGES OF WINNERS:

4-Y-O – 6

5-Y-O – 18

6-Y-O – 11

7-Y-O – 8

8-Y-O – 5

9-Y-O – 1

12-Y-O – 1

SUCCESSFUL BARRIERS:

1 – 10 (Last winner, Smoken Up – 2011)

2 – 10 (Last winner, Be Good Johnny – 2005)

3 – 6 (Last winner, Baby Bling – April 2013)

4 – 11 (Last winner, Christen Me – 2014)

5 – 9 (Last winner, Lennytheshark – 2017)

6 – 4 (Last winner, Double Identity – 2002)

7 – 0

8 – 0

FIVE FASTEST WINNERS:

Have Faith In Me (2016) – 1:47.5

Christen Me (2014) – 1:49.1

Lennytheshark (2017) – 1:49.2

Beautide (November 2013) – 1:50.2

Smoken Up (2010) – 1:50.3

FIVE SLOWEST WINNERS:

The Scotsman (1979) – 2:00.7

Bay Foyle (1972) – 2:00.6

Pure Steel (1978) and Locarno (1980) – 2:00.4

Chokin (1993) – 2:00

CONSECUTIVE WINNERS:

Westburn Grant (1989 and ‘90)

Chokin (1993 and ‘94)

Holmes D G (1999 and 2000)

Sokyola (2003 and ‘04)

Be Good Johnny (2005 and ‘06)

Smoken Up (2010 and ‘11)

MOST APPEARANCES:

Paleface Adios – 7

1974 – 2nd (Hondo Grattan 1)

1975 – 5th (Young Quinn 1)

1976 – 1st (Don’t Retreat 2, Hondo Grattan 3)

1977 – 2nd (Royal Force 2)

1978 – 2nd (Pure Steel 1)

1979 – 2nd (The Scotsman 1)

1980 – 3rd (Locarno 1, Pure Steel 2)

WHERE WINNERS TRAINED:

New South Wales – 14 (Last winner, Baby Bling – April 2013)

New Zealand – 14 (Last winner, Have Faith In Me – 2016)

Western Australia – 7 (Last winner, Norms Daughter – June 1996)

Victoria – 10 (Last winner, Lennytheshark – 2017)

Queensland – 3 (Last winner, Be Good Johnny – 2006)

Tasmania – 2 (Last winner, Halwes – 1968)…debate over Beautide (November 2013) which was based in New South Wales!

FAVOURITES:

20 Successful – 30 Unsuccessful

BEATEN WHEN ODDS-ON:

Preux Chevalier – 8/11 – Last in 1984

Village Kid – 4/9 – 3rd in December 1986

Il Vicolo – 4/5 – 2nd in June 1996

Iraklis – 9/10 – 3rd in 1997

Blacks A Fake – 4/7 – 5th in 2008

Excel Stride – 5/4 – 4^th in April 2013

Beautide – 9/4 – 2^nd in November 2014

MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAINERS:

Barry Purdon – Christopher Vance (1991), Chokin (1993 and ‘94) and Holmes DG (1999 and 2000)

Lance Justice – Sokyola (2003 and ‘04) and Smoken Up (2010 and ‘11)

MOST SUCCESSFUL DRIVERS:

Vic Frost – Lucky Creed (1970), Westburn Grant (1989 and ‘90)

Tony Herlihy – Christopher Vance (1991), Chokin (1993 and ‘94)

Lance Justice – Sokyola (2003), Smoken Up (2010 and ‘11)