Arguments may rage long into the night, but Captain Ravishing and Braeview Kelly have been given the coveted wildcard spots into next weekend’s $1 million Garrards Miracle Mile at Club Menangle.
Directors at the club refused to make any controversial selections this year, with both horses almost a lay-down misere to be allotted the final two spots in Australia’s harness racing greatest sprint.
That left us with a field of:
- Mach Dan (Emma Stewart)
- Catch A Wave (Andy Gath)
- Spirit Of St Louis (Belinda McCarthy)
- Hurricane Harley (Emma Stewart)
- Honolua Bay (Emma Stewart)
- Expensive Ego (Belinda McCarthy)
- Captain Ravishing (Emma Stewart)
- Braeview Kelly (Jack Trainor)
- 1st em: Major Meister (Jason Grimson)
- 2nd em: Bondi Lockdown (Luke McCarthy).
Club Menangle chief executive Bruce Christison said it was an easier night than they expected.
“The run by Braeview Kelly (pictured above at the finish line) tonight helped them a lot, to be honest,” said Christison.
“We were looking at reputation rather than performance.
“All week Captain Ravishing has been a likely scenario, probably made easier by the way the sprints went tonight.
“There might have been some criticism of the performance of Captain Ravishing in losing the Chariots of Fire to Catch a Wave last week.
“But directors didn’t feel there was enough reason not to give him that final spot.
“It’s a great effort by Emma Stewart to get four runners – and good luck to the stable and in tomorrow’s barrier draw.”
