Action packed weekend in NSW

Harness racing fans throughout New South Wales are set for one of the most action packed weekends in recent memory.

Moving into the weekend, Friday night (Feb. 17) will see the running of the Group 2 $100,000 AVE Technologies Newcastle Mile, the winner gaining automatic entry into the $1million Miracle Mile on March 4.

Then on Saturday night, the attention will turn to Tabcorp Park Menangle for night one of the Sky Racing Carnival Of Miracles, headlined by the $250,000 Cordina Chicken Farms Chariots Of Fire and supported by four other feature races.

Leading Sydney reinsman Luke McCarthy will take a leading hand in some of those big races and is certainly no stranger to winning the Group 1’s.

Known as one of the best in the business, McCarthy boasts a fantastic success rate at the top level with 76 grand slams to his credit.

McCarthy has the task of handling the Stephen Telfer-trained kiwi Alta Wiseguy (Mach Three) in the Newcastle Mile on Friday and will then partner Cantfindabettorman (Sweet Lou) for his wife Belinda in the Chariots Of Fire.

Tefler has two runners in Newcastle’s feature with stablemate B D Joe drawing barrier one and Alta Wiseguy to start from gate two.

Alta Wiseguy came across the ditch boasting strong form but finished eighth at Tabcorp Menangle a fortnight ago, only beaten six metres in a fast run race.

The gelding has drawn to get every chance on Friday night and should be a lot closer to the speed in the feature sprint.

“He looks a nice horse,” said McCarthy. 

“It is a really smart field in the Mile, but from that draw he should be able to balance up a bit closer than he did last week and hopefully we can trounce some of his more fancied rivals.

“I think from what I have seen of his past performances, he can definitely win it with the right run.

“This weekend is a massive one and the Sydney carnival is one that I look forward to every year.

“It is great to have such top racing right at our backdoor and Menangle is simply a world class facility.”

The Download The TAB App Today Pace will open tonight’s eight race program at Penrith and the Kevin Pizzuto-trained Nyota, which has the services of top reinsman Josh Gallagher looks well placed from gate two.

For complete Menangle race entries, click here.

by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW