Large crowds attended the $100,000 Group 1 AVE Technologies Newcastle Mile on Friday 21 February with loads of action both on and off the track. Taken out by MAJORDAN driven by leading reinsman Todd McCarthy for Rossmore trainer Kevin Pizzuto, MAJORDAN created history by breaking the existing Mile record by 0.2 of a second and automatically qualified for the $1 Million Miracle Mile at Menangle.
The new standard of 1.50.7 places Newcastle as the fourth fastest track in Australia. Kudos to the track staff, headed by Greg Brown & Lewis Cini for having the track in magnificent condition for the night.
The make up of the race was controversially changed when the stewards scratched the three Craig Cross runners for late arrival. Seven runners faced the mobile and MAJORDAN showing any amount of gate speed crossed the inside runners approaching the first turn to lead from THE BLACK PRINCE and HAIL CHRISTIAN. Slowly away from the inside, LET IT RIDE made a mid race move to sit outside the leader with previous track record holder BALRAJ sitting in the 1 x 1 trail. McCarthy ramped up the pressure from the 800m to record a third quarter of a blistering 26.5. This broke the field up. HAIL CHRISTIAN sprouted wings along the pegs to go down by a short half head with THE BLACK PRINCE a game third. All credit goes to MAJORDAN.
Clayton Harmey trained a winning double on the night with CORBAUX and FIRE & SWORD. CORBAUX was driven by Blake Hughes & FIRE & SWORD was handled by Cameron Hart. ROBYN TAYLOR won Race 6 for Bryce & Neville Greenwood at good odds. Other winners were BRACKEN STORM, MAKE HASTE, MISS HALFPENNY and CAPTAIN CRUSADER.
Off the track there was family entertainment aplenty with the inaugural Tots at the Trots Fashion Comp, Marching Koalas, competitions, live music and guest appearance from former Miss Universe Australia, Tegan Martin.
A fantastic fundraising result of $4596 was achieved for the John Hunter Children’s Hospital Kids Club from their raffle with 88yr old Patricia the lucky winner of the $2000 italk Travel Warners Bay Voucher. The funds raised have been earmarked for resources in outreach services for the John Hunter Children’s Hospital.