MIRACLE MILE

Since the inaugural Miracle Mile more than three decades ago, no single harness race in Australia, or New Zealand, has attracted as much media attention as the Miracle Mile.

The Inter Dominion Pacing Championship is recognised in Australia and New Zealand as the premier harness racing event each year, but the Miracle Mile seems to arouse more interest, and certainly more controversy, every season.

CONGRATULATIONS MONKEY KING - MIRACLE MILE 2009

Congratulation to Monkey King on an impressive win in the SEW Eurodrive Miracle. Monkey King sprinted brilliantly for driver Peter Rixon. A selection of photos from the day can be found on the Macarthur Chronicle website.

HONOUR ROLL

Year	Horse	Age	Sex	State	Trainer	Driver	M Rate
1967	Robin Dundee	8	m	NZ	Jack Walsh	Robert Cameron	1:59.0
1968	Halwes	8	h	TAS	Aub Wesley	Kevin Newman	1:58.6
1969	Adaptor	5	h	VIC	Jack Hargreaves	Jack Hargreaves	1:59.2
1970	Lucky Creed	5	h	QLD	Merv Wanless	Vic Frost	1:59.0
1971	Mount Eden	4	h	WA	Jack Miles	Jack Miles	1:58.8
1972	Bay Foyle	5	h	NSW	Charlie Parsons	Charlie Parsons	2:00.6
1973	Reichman	8	g	VIC	Rex Hocking	Rex Hocking	1:58.4
1974	Hondo Grattan	5	h	NSW	Tony Turnbull	Tony Turnbull	1:59.0
1975	Young Quinn	5	g	NZ	Charlie Hunter	Charlie Hunter	1:58.8
1976	Paleface Adios	6	h	NSW	Colin Pike	Colin Pike	1:58.4
1977	Royal Force	7	h	WA	George Kennett	Dudley Anderson	1:59.5
1978	Pure Steel	6	h	WA	Mark Roberts	Ted Demmler	2:00.4
1979	The Scotsman	5	g	NSW	Graeme Sparkes	Graeme Sparkes	2:00.7
1980	Locarno	5	h	NZ	Robin Butt	Robin Butt	2:00.4
1981	Friendly Footman	5	h	NSW	Frank Day	Kevin Newman	1:59.2
1982	Gundary Flyer	4	h	NSW	Michael Day	Michael Day	1:56.9
1983	Popular Alm	6	h	VIC	Bob Knight	Vin Knight	1:57.7
1984	Double Agent	12	g	NSW	Joe Ilsley	Joe Ilsley	1:59.6
1985	Preux Chevalier	6	h	WA	Barry Perkins	Barry Perkins	1:56.7
1986	(Jan) Village Kid	5	g	WA	Bill Horn	Chris Lewis	1:56.9
1986	(Dec) Master Mood	5	h	NZ	Kevin Williams	Kevin Williams	1:56.1
1987	Village Kid	7	g	WA	Bill Horn	Chris Lewis	1:57.7
1988	Our Maestro	5	h	VIC	Bob Knight	Vin Knight	1:58.1
1989	Westburn Grant	4	h	NSW	Vic Frost	Vic Frost	1:57.9
1990	Westburn Grant	5	h	NSW	Vic Frost	Vic Frost	1:55.6
1991	Christopher Vance	5	g	NZ	Barry Purdon	Tony Herlihy	1:57.9
1992	Franco Tiger	7	g	VIC	Glen Tippet	Brian Gath	1:56.7
1993	Chokin	5	g	NZ	Barry Purdon	Tony Herlihy	2:00.0
1994	Chokin	6	g	NZ	Barry Purdon	Tony Herlihy	1:56.2
1996	(Jun) Norms Daughter	5	m	WA	Neil Lloyd	Kellie Kersley	1:55.6
1996	(Dec) Iraklis	4	h	NZ	Robert Cameron	Ricky May	1:54.2
1997	Our Sir Vancelot	7	h	NSW	Brian Hancock	Howard James	1:55.5
1998	Christian Cullen	4	h	NZ	Brian O'Meara	Danny Campbell	1:54.4
1999	Holmes DG	5	g	NZ	Barry Purdon	Barry Purdon	1:56.4
2000	Holmes DG	6	g	NZ	Barry Purdon	Barry Purdon	1::54.6
2001	Smooth Satin	5	g	NSW	Steve Turnbull	Steve Turnbull	1:56.9
2002	Double Identity	6	g	NSW	Harry Martin	Harry Martin	1:55.2
2003	Sokyola	7	g	VIC	Lance Justice	Lance Justice	1:54.5
2004	Sokyola	8	g	VIC	Lance Justice	Jodi Quinlan	1:54.9
2005	Be Good Johnny	6	g	QLD	John McCarthy	John McCarthy	1:55.9
2006	Be Good Johnny	7	G	QLD	John McCarthy	John McCarthy	1:54.3
2007	NOT HELD DUE TO EQUINE INFLUENZA OUTBREAK
2008	Divisive	6	G	NSW	Peter Rixon	Peter Rixon	1:56.0
2009	Monkey King	7	G	NZ	B Hill	Ricky May	1:50.8

STATISTICS

INTRODUCTION

First run in March 1967, when won by the eight-year-old New Zealand mare, Robin Dundee.
Driven by Robert Cameron, the trainer of Iraklis, which also won the Miracle Mile in December 1996, Robin Dundee ran the mile in an Australian record 1:59 - the first time the two-minute barrier had been bettered in a race in Australia - in beating Tongue Twister and Angelique by 25 yards.

SEX OF MIRACLE MILE WINNERS:

2 Mares - (Robin Dundee - 1967 and Norms Daughter (June 1996).
21 Horses - (Last winner - Christian Cullen (1998).
18 Geldings - (Last winner - Be Good Johnny (2006).

AGES OF MIRACLE MILE WINNERS:

4-Y-O - 5
5-Y-O - 17
6-Y-O - 9
7-Y-O - 6
8-Y-O - 4
12-Y-O - 1

WINNING MIRACLE MILE BARRIERS:

1 - 9 (Last winner, Be Good Johnny - 2006)
2 - 10 (Last winner, Be Good Johnny - 2005)
3 - 5 (Last winner, Christian Cullen - 1998)
4 - 8 (Last winner, Smooth Satin - 2001)
5 - 6 (Last winner, Divisive - 2008)
6 - 4 (Last winner, Double Identity - 2002)

FIVE FASTEST MIRACLE MILE WINNERS:

Iraklis (December 1996) - 1:54.2.
Christian Cullen (1998) - 1:54.4.
Be Good Johnny (2006) - 1:54.3
Sokyola (2003) - 1:54.5
Holmes D G (2000) - 1:54.6

FIVE SLOWEST MIRACLE MILE 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.

DUAL MIRACLE MILE WINNERS:

Village Kid (January 1986, and 1987)
Westburn Grant (1989 and 1990)
Chokin (1993 and 1994)
Holmes D G (1999 and 2000)
Sokyola (2003 and 2004)
Be Good Johnny (2005 and 2006)

MOST MIRACLE MILE APPEARANCES:

Paleface Adios (7 starts).
1974 - 2nd (Hondo Grattan 1).
1975 - 5th (Young Quinn 1).
1976 - 1st (Beating Don’t Retreat and Hondo Grattan)
1977 - 2nd (Royal Force 2).
1978 - 2nd (Pure Steel 1).
1979 - 2nd (The Scotsman 1).
1980 - 3rd (Locarno 1, Pure Steel 2).

WHERE MIRACLE MILE WINNERS TRAINED:

New South Wales 13 (Last winner, Divisive - 2008)
New Zealand 11 (Last winner, Holmes DG - 2000)
Western Australia 7 (Last winner, Norms Daughter - June 1996)
Victoria 7 (Last winner, Sokyola - 2004)
Queensland 3 (Last winner, Be Good Johnny- 2006)
Tasmania 1 (Last winner, Halwes - 1968)

FAVOURITES:

18 Successful - 24 Unsuccessful.

ODDS-ON & BEATEN:

Preux Chevalier - 8/11 - Last in 1984.
Village Kid (December) - 4/9 - 3rd in 1986.
Il Vicolo (June) - 4/5 - 2nd in 1996.
Iraklis - 9/10 - 3rd in 1997.
Blacks A Fake - 4/7 - 5th in 2008.

MOST SUCCESSFUL MIRACLE MILE TRAINERS:

Barry Purdon (5) - Christopher Vance (1991), Chokin (1993 & ‘94) and Holmes DG( 1999 & 2000).
Bill Horn (2) - Village Kid (January 1986 & ‘87).
Vic Frost (2) - Westburn Grant (1989 & ‘90).
Bob Knight (2) - Popular Alm (1983) and Our Maestro (1988).
Lance Justice (2) - Sokyola (2003 and 2004)
John McCarthy (2) - Be Good Johnny (2005 and 2006)

MOST SUCCESSFUL MIRACLE MILE DRIVERS:

Vic Frost (3) - Lucky Creed (1970), Westburn Grant (1989 and ‘90).
Tony Herlihy (3) - Christopher Vance (1991), Chokin (1993 and ‘94).
Kevin Newman (2) - Halwes (1968), Friendly Footman (1981).
Vin Knight (2) - Popular Alm (1983), Our Maestro (1988).
Chris Lewis (2) - Village Kid (January, 1986 and ‘87).
Barry Purdon (2) - Holmes DG (1999 & 2000).
John McCarthy (2) - Be Good Johnny (2005 and 2006).