Esmerelda stunning in Green Mile

Esmerelda (Always B Miki) who’s one of the finds of this summer, became the first mare to win the Green Mile for pacers when she impressively took out the Methven Four Square feature at Mount Harding Raceway today.

Trainer driver Gerard O’Reilly took Esmeralda straight to the top from barrier five and set a solid pace, allowing her opposition no real chances to improve.

“I had to work to get to the front and I thought we’d go quietly down the back. Coming round the bend her ears were twitching and she was still cruising. I thought we’d better press on a bit. I didn’t think we were going that speed,” O’Reilly said.

Turning in, Esmeralda created a good buffer and went down the line in win by three and a half lengths from outsider Misty Blue, with Pinseeker two lengths back in third. The last 800 was run in 57.7.

ESMERELDA REPLAY

The winning time of 1-55.6 was just 0.6 seconds outside the race record held by 2017 winner AG’s Whitesocks.

“She’s got a good cruising speed, that’s the main thing. Probably hasn’t got a 26 quarter but she can run and put a few (quarters) together. She’s very laid back and races off the bit mostly.”

This is the third win for Gerard in the Pacers Green Mile, he drove Glencoe VC in 2013 and Mossdale Conner in 2014.

Esmeralda is owned by Roy Gearry, Brian Kerr and Philippa Cooke, all of whom also bred her.

“Roy’s health isn’t that good at the moment so it’s really good for him.”

Gearry and Kerr have been racing horses together for many years. In 2001 they the Great Northern Stakes with U Legend.

Esmeralda qualified in May last year as a three year old and had her first day at the races in March this year.

“It’s beyond my expectations. I drove her for Brian when he had her and she was just an okay horse. He only worked her on her own, so he said he’d send her down to train in company and have more action on the Ashburton track to wake her up a bit I suppose.”

Since then she’s won six races and is closing in on $100,000 in stakes.

A target for O’Reilly to consider is the $100,000 Group One Queen of Hearts at Alexandra Park in less than two weeks time.

“We probably will go. You sort of have to after today. We’ll fly her up a few days before which will work out well.”

O’Reilly rarely travels to Auckland, but won his first drive at Alexandra Park with Tiger Tara in the 2014 Northern Derby.

Gerard thinks Esmerelda will adjust to racing right handed in Auckland.

“I do a lot of work that way round so hopefully it won’t be a problem. She’s a pretty sensitive horse and is getting better and stronger. In the last month or so she’s improved a heap.”

The win today further highlights the great cross Always B Miki has with Christian Cullen mares. Others by Always B Miki out of Cullen mares are Dalton Shard (10), Franco Indie (9), Miki Bennett (9), Invisible (7) and Celestial Sea (5).

Meanwhile at Methven today Carter Dalgety was crowned the McMillan Equine Feeds Junior Drivers Championship winner.

In a tight contest the Canterbury based reinsman with 68 points was two points clear of Monika Ranger who finished with 66 points.

Carter became the first male junior driver to win the championship in seven years.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink