Christened: Glamour pacer Christen Me proved successful in the 2014 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile
It was shades of last year.
But this time, it was a different result.
Star Kiwi pacer Christen Me gained revenge on local hero Beautide to claim the Gr.1 $750,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile at TABCORP Park in a race record time of 1;49.1.
Only recently retired champion Smoken Up has posted a faster time on Australian soil courtesy of his 2011 Len Smith Mile victory in 1;48.5.
In fact, Christen Me is the only Miracle Mile winner to have busted 1;50 when winning the event since it was switched from its former home of Harold Park to Menangle back in 2009.
Christen Me, dubbed the Prince of Addington in his homeland of New Zealand vanquished Beautide, Guaranteed and the current King of Addington in Terror To Love after being aided by a calculating drive by skillful reinsman Dexter Dunn.
Dunn settled Christen Me off a scorching early tempo, as Easy On The Eye, Avonnova and Suave Stuey Lombo declared each other on through an opening split of 25.2 seconds.
As the speed settled, Beautide took off and sat parked on the outside of Easy On The Eye and controlled the event before putting the leader away well before the home turn.
The middle half was covered in 28.5 and 28.6 seconds.
At the top of the home straight, Beautide was left feeling vulnerable as Christen Me, Guaranteed, For A Reason and Terror To Love all started to loom danger.
As brave as Beautide was, it was Christen Me who took honours defeating the defending champion by a half neck while Guaranteed finished third.
The last quarter was posted in 26.8 seconds.
“This is a career high for me and I can’t thank Cran (Dalgety – trainer) enough, all the hard is work is done and I’m the lucky one to sit behind a special horse like this on raceday.” Winning driver Dexter Dunn said.
The combination of Dalgety and Dunn has proven to be formidable in recent years with success in feature events like the Hunter Cup, Chariots Of Fire and a plethora of Breeders Crown finals.
Christen Me, a gelded son of 1998 Miracle Mile winner Christian Cullen, is the first New Zealand trained winner of the glamour sprint since Monkey King proved successful in 2009.
The next leg of the Australian Pacing Gold Grand Circuit will be staged on January 16 at Gloucester Park with the running of the $400,000 WA Pacing Cup.
Trainer Cran Dalgety has indicated that Christen Me will head to the Gr.1 $100,000 Cranbourne Cup next weekend before returning home and being prepared for a raft of rich targets in Australia early next year.
