It’s a Kiwi Miracle at Menangle
My Field Marshal ran the fastest mile in Australasian history to secure the A$750,000 ($806,887 NZD) Miracle Mile at Menangle on Saturday night.
The Otago-owned pacer’s 1.46.9 win signalled a triumph for Canterbury brothers Tim and Anthony Butt, who have both relocated to Australia on a permanent basis in recent times.
The pair have combined to win dozens of Group I races, including at least 25 in Australia previously, but this was their first Miracle Mile.
‘‘This rates right up there, without a doubt,’’ said Tim Butt. ‘‘It’s one of the hardest races ever to win. It used to be hard just to get in it, and it still is,’’ Tim Butt said.
The result franks his decision to shift his family to Sydney late last year.
‘‘It was well-documented, my shift to New South Wales to train. I can’t do much better than win their biggest race.’’
My Field Marshal’s 1:46.9 breaks the race and Australasian pacing record of 1:47.5 that was set by Have Faith In Me in the 2016 edition of the Miracle Mile.
Have Faith In Me was trained by Lazarus’ trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen until his recent sale to the United States. For Tim Butt, it’s been a two decade-long love affair with the country across the Tasman.
‘‘We love Aussie racing and the Aussie people have always been great to me.
‘‘We’ve had some fantastic times over the years.’’
Anthony, who has been based in Melbourne since 2014, paid tribute to his brother for an astute training performance.
‘‘He’s not an easy horse to train, he’s had his problems over the years. Tim’s done a great job.
‘‘It was a really smart move missing the Interdominion and a little hiccup meant he missed the Hunter Cup as well, which was probably a bit of a blessing.’’
Anthony Butt landed My Field Marshal one out and two back for most of the trip, following up gun four-year-old Jilliby Kung Fu.
Come the home turn, Butt angled My Field Marshal wide on the track and he reeled in Soho Tribeca and Jilliby Kung Fu in the shadows of the post.
Race favourite Lazarus only beat one horse home after being unable to get into the race from a wide draw.
Rasmussen tried to mount a three-wide move upon entering the back straight, but the champion pacer could not improve his position. He floundered throughout and finished 23 metres from the winner.
Lazarus will now return to New Zealand and spell, tentative plans to race him in Auckland and Christchurch abandoned.
My Field Marshal is raced by his Mosgiel breeders, Syd and Shona Brown, who were on course in Sydney.
They raced his dam, Foreal, who won a Ladyship Mile and New South Wales Oaks at Harold Park for the Butts in 2005.
The Miracle Mile was My Field Marshal’s fifth Group I win following on from last year’s Len Smith Mile win at Menangle, his Taylor Mile and Messenger wins at Alexandra Park, and his 4-yearold Emerald win at Cambridge, the latter three all coming in mid-2016.