NSWHRC CHANGES TO SATURDAY NIGHT MIRACLE MILE
Saturday night has become the “home” of Tabcorp Park Menangle’s metropolitan meetings each week.
Now the Miracle Mile is ready to make the move as well, with the revelation the 2017 Miracle Mile would be run on a Saturday night.
While this year’s finale was deemed an outstanding success, the one fault racegoers found was that the Sunday afternoon racing was too hot for both patrons – and
horses.
So the NSW Harness Racing Club this week decided to move the 2017 Miracle Mile to a Saturday night.
It will be the 50th running of Australia’s greatest sprint and the club revealed the Sky Carnival of Miracles would be run over the corresponding three weeks with
‘Group One Day’ now becoming ‘Group One Night’.
Another significant change announced by the club was that the two qualifying sprints would be run the week before the Miracle Mile.
NSWHRC chief executive, Bruce Christison explained this decision was based around the desire to ensure all horses had the best possible opportunity to contest all
Grand Circuit events.
The move means that there will be a week free of open class group one racing between the Victorian Summer Carnival and Sydney’s Miracle Mile Carnival.
“This will give the connections of all horses the opportunity to plan their Grand Circuit campaign knowing there would be a 14-day gap between the Hunter Cup and
qualifying sprints,” said Christison.
“While the race conditions are still to be finalised, one aspect which will certainly not change is the use of the Chariots of Fire as a qualifying race.
“After the record-breaking performance of Have Faith in Me and the amazing run by Arms of Angel, the introduction of the Chariots of Fire as a qualifier for the
Miracle Mile was an enormous success.”
Christison confirmed the Chariots of Fire would kick off the three-week carnival on Saturday night February 11, with the two sprints to be held a week later on
Saturday night, February 18.
The highlight, naturally, will be Group One Night on Saturday, February 25, featuring six Group One races and headlined by the Miracle Mile.
“While the Sunday Miracle Mile was a winner, one factor the club could not control was the weather and the heat has been an issue over the past four years,” said
Christison.
“Hopefully the move to Saturday night will solve that problem.
“The club is now working on some outstanding promotions to recognise the 50-year history of the event with details to be revealed in coming months.”
Courtesy of Sean Vella, NSWHRC