Harness racing driver Natalie Rasmussen combined with Have Faith In Me for the Miracle Mile grand final race on Sunday at Tabcorp Park Menangle to produce a victory for the ages. MICHAEL COURT reports.
It was a win we’ll be telling our grandchildren about one day.
We were there the day Have Faith In Me and Lennytheshark hit the line locked together and the Kiwi four-year-old set an Australasian record 1:47.5 to win the SEW EURODRIVE Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park Menangle.
Even Natalie Rasmussen wasn’t certain after she and Have Faith In Me had put in last-ditch dive at ‘Lenny’ right on the line.
Chris Alford (Lennytheshark) actually looked pretty confident that he had held on.
But the judge knew that this incredible budding Kiwi superstar Have Faith In Me had recorded a track record win, breaking Adore Me’s Australasian record 1:47.7 set in 2015.
It was later revealed Have Faith In Me was just one-tenth of a second from breaking the world record 1:47.4 set by Bettor Sweet set at The Meadowlands in May, 2009.
This was the perfect race from the next superstar of the sport . . . although it looked anything but a certainty 100m from home.
Lennytheshark came from one-out and one-back to surge to the front halfway up the straight and it appeared as if Have Faith In Me just had too much work to do to catch him.
But this amazing son of Bettors Delight didn’t know defeat and ploughed into the lead before grabbing victory in the last stride.
Third place went to the amazing mare Arms Of An Angel, who set the race up for the record time by leading from the pole and running them along all the way.
Turning for home the mare and Lauren Panella were still giving plenty of cheek after quarters of 26.4s, 27.4s and 26.5s.
The winner hit the line with a final split of 27.2s for the memorable track record time and an even-more-special fourth Group One for the Mark Purdon-Natalie Rasmussen team.
“Wow, what a day,” was Rasmussen’s comment as the champion reinsman known by many as Miss Inter Dominion, thanks to her four Inter Dominion victories with Blacks A Fake, became known as “Miss Miracle Mile” thanks to a handsome little bay gelding named Have Faith In Me.
“It was so special with this horse as he has so much learning and growing up to do.
“This win is right up there. Just the way he did it – he’s such a little tiny green little fellow.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“I’m overwhelmed and I’m just so proud of this little horse.”[/social_quote]
Despite winning four Inter Doms, Rasmussen said this success was right up there alongside her most satisfying days.
“He paced a bit rough and started running up the track but he still has a bit to learn,” she said.
“And on the line I wasn’t too confident he had won. I even thought it could be a dead-heat there for a moment.
“What a bloody great day.”
That was actually an understatement:
Natalie and her training partner Mark Purdon combined to win four of the six group one events at Sunday’s meeting and finishing second in one of the other two feature races they failed to win.
Their record since focusing on Sydney is quite staggering:
The pair arrived in early January and the stable had its first runner on January 15.
In the subsequent 45 days their All Stars stable had 22 starters for 16 winners and took home $1,053,800 in prizemoney.
On average each starter won $47,900
Most worrying for rival stables is the depth of talent across the board.
Purdon and Rasmussen can lay claim to training the best horse in the Southern Hemisphere – Have Faith In Me and the best three trio of three-year-olds in Australasia – Our Waikiki Beach, Lazarus and Our Dream About Me.
They also won three group one races during the Victoria summer carnival giving them eight victories at the highest level in Australia during January and February.
And as Natalie explained: “You have to chase the money and these horses are good enough to do that.
“So that’s what we do.”
. . . And nobody does it better!
