Miracle Mile (harness race)

This article is about the horse race. For the race between Roger Bannister and John Landy, see Athletics at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
MIRACLE MILE
Group I race
Location Menangle Park Paceway
New South Wales, Australia
Inaugurated 1967
Race type Standardbred - Flat racing
Website Menangle Park Paceway
Race information
Distance 1609m (1 mile)
Track 1400m oval, left-handed
Qualification Three-year-olds and up
Purse AUD $750,000

The Miracle Mile is an Australian harness racing event that was held at Harold Park Racetrack each November until 2008 when the race was switched to Menangle Park Paceway. Prize money has long been among that of Australia’s leading harness races and has often included bonuses for speed.

Race history

The race was held twice in 1986 due to a change of dates from January to November/December, and again in 1996 due to the postponement of the 1995 race caused by track redesign and construction. When the new track opened in 1996 the race distance was changed from one mile (1609m ) to 1760m. The 2007 running was abandoned due to the Equine Influenza outbreak. The 2012 race was also delayed until April 2013 due to renovations.

Since 2009, the race has been run at Menangle Park, once again at the metric mile distance. The 1400m track length and improved design allowed for faster times. The first winner at the new circuit was New Zealander Monkey King in a track record time of 1:50.8. In 2010 Victorian pacer Smoken Up, who ran 2nd the previous year, won the race and broke the Australasian record in at time of 1:50.3 (Smoken Up has subsequently lowered that record to 1:48.5 in the Len Smith Mile, also at Menangle).

The fastest ‘miles’ at Harold Park were 1:55.6 by Westburn Grant in 1990, 1:56.1 by Master Mood and 1:56.2 by Chokin. When the race distance became 1760 metres the fastest mile rates were 1:54.2 by Iraklis and 1:54.4 by Christian Cullen.

The Miracle Mile proved elusive to legendary reinsman Brian Hancock who trained one winner in Our Sir Vancelot but due to suspension was unable to drive the three-times Inter Dominion champion on the night of his win in 1997. As set out below there have been several dual winners of the flying mile - notably Smoken Up, Be Good Johnny, Sokyola, Holmes DG, Chokin, Westburn Grant and Village Kid. Champion drivers Lance Justice, Vic Frost and Tony Herlihy have won the race three times each. Kellie Kersley became the first female driver to win the race in 1996. The oldest horse to win the race was 12-year-old Double Agent.

Winners list

Year
Horse
Driver
Time
Mile Rate
2013 Beautide James Rattray 1:50.2 1:50.2
2013* Baby Bling Mat Rue 1:50.5 1:50.5
2012 *Run in 2013 due to renovations
2011 Smoken Up Lance Justice 1:51.8 1:51.8
2010 Smoken Up Lance Justice 1:50.3 1:50.3
2009 Monkey King Ricky May 1:50.8 1:50.8
2008 Divisive Peter Rixon 2:06.9 1:56.0
2007 Not held due to Equine Influenza (E.I.)
2006 Be Good Johnny John McCarthy 2:05.0 1:54.3
2005 Be Good Johnny John McCarthy 2:06.7 1:55.9
2004 Sokyola Jody Quinlan 2:05.7 1:54.9
2003 Sokyola Lance Justice 2:05.3 1:54.3
2002 Double Identity Harry Martin 2:06.0 1:55.2
2001 Smooth Satin Steve Turnbull 2:07.8 1:56.9
2000 Holmes D G Barry Purdon 2:05.3 1:54.6
1999 Holmes D G Barry Purdon 2:07.3 1:56.4
1998 Christian Cullen Danny Campbell 2:05.1 1:54.4
1997 Our Sir Vancelot Howard James 2:06.3 1:55.5
1996 Iraklis Ricky May 2:04.9 1:54.2
1996* Norms Daughter Kellie Kersley 2:06.4 1:55.6
1995 *Run in 1996 due to renovations
1994 Chokin Tony Herlihy 1:56.2 1:56.2
1993 Chokin Tony Herlihy 2:00.0 2:00.0
1992 Franco Tiger Brian Gath 1:56.7 1:56.7
1991 Christopher Vance Tony Herlihy 1:57.9 1:57.9
1990 Westburn Grant Vic Frost 1:55.6 1:55.6
1989 Westburn Grant Vic Frost 1:57.9 1:57.9
1988 Our Maestro Vin Knight 1:58.1 1:58.1
1987 Village Kid Chris Lewis 1:57.7 1:57.7
1986 Master Mood Kevin Williams 1:56.1 1:56.1
1986 Village Kid Chris Lewis 1:56.9 1:56.9
1985 Preux Chevalier Barry Perkins 1:56.7 1:56.7
1984 Double Agent Joe Ilsley 1:59.6 1:59.6
1983 Popular Alm Vin Knight 1:57.7 1:57.7
1982 Gundary Flyer Michael Day 1:56.9 1:56.9
1981 Friendly Footman Kevin Newman 1:59.2 1:59.2
1980 Locarno Robin Butt 2:00.4 2:00.4
1979 The Scotsman Graeme Sparkes 2:00.7 2:00.7
1978 Pure Steel Ted Demmler 2:00.4 2:00.4
1977 Royal Force Dudley Anderson 1:59.5 1:59.5
1976 Paleface Adios 1:58.4 1:58.4
1975 Young Quinn Charlie Hunter 1:58.8 1:58.8
1974 Hondo Grattan Tony Turnbull 1:59.0 1:59.0
1973 Reichman Rex Hocking 1:58.4 1:58.4
1972 Bay Foyle Charlie Parsons 2:00.6 2:00.6
1971 Mount Eden Jack Miles 1:58.8 1:58.8
1970 Lucky Creed Vic Frost 1:59.0 1:59.0
1969 Adaptor Jack Hargreaves 1:59.2 1:59.2
1968 Halwes Kevin Newman 1:58.6 1:58.6
1967 Robin Dundee Robert Cameron 1:59.0 1:59.0


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