Forever Miki a chance against Jumal

Despite the favourite Jumal (Downbytheseaside) having a draw advantage, Ashburton harness racing trainer Tim White is positive that Forever Miki (Always B Miki) stands a chance in the $200,000 Group One Garrards NZ Sires’ Stakes Series Final tomorrow night at Addington.

Tim trains Forever Miki with his father Brent and after having sat parked and running Jumal to a neck in the series semi-final last week, there’s some confidence in the camp.

“It was a super run. We knew he’d go a nice race, but he exceeded our expectations especially with the run he got. He keeps stepping up. Unfortunately he’s got the wrong swing in draws. Jumal ended up in the one one from that draw the other night, so we might try and do the same (laughter),” Tim said.

White says the early tactics will be interesting.

“I don’t know what they’ll do. They might fall off the gate and let Jumal lead. It’s a $200,000 race so you’d think there’d be a wee bit of pressure early. Hopefully he can slide across. To give himself a chance, I think he has to roll off the gate and see where he lands up.”

He added that Forever Miki is a versatile pacer.

“He’s a laid-back rooster and I think being parked the other night didn’t worry him. He can relax and follow speed, or sit parked and relax. Sarah said he travelled super the other night and didn’t over race. That’s his greatest asset. He can do it either way.”

And to add to the pressure of training a nice pacer, the phone has been hot with Australians keen to buy Forever Miki.

“They’ve turned down reasonable money for him to be fair. There’s a consensus among the ownership group that he’ll stay. They want a racehorse and he’s going to be their racehorse.”

When pressed to disclose the money involved…

“Large, six figures.”

The Whites also have two first starters in the $100,000 Group One Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes; A Mako Man (Sweet Lou) and Captain Tui (Captain Crunch).

A Mako Man has had a workout and two trials to fit him for tomorrow’s assignment.

“He’s a checky wee fella but is quite natural in his work. Sarah (O’Reilly) has done a hell of a lot with him. Probably of the two, he’s a wee bit further forward. To be fair, if there was another two year old race for non-winners they probably would have been in that. It’s a $100,000 trial for them (laughter).”

Captain Tui has been unbeaten at all his public appearances.

“He’s probably more of a rolling type. Whereas the other fella probably has a bit more speed. He can roll along at even quarters and keep trucking. He’s going to develop into a lovely horse and time’s going to be his friend.”

The stable has American Me (American Ideal) in the $100,000 Listed Hydroflow New Zealand Country Championship Final.

“It looks like this will be our last start with American Me. He’s heading back to the North Island and is going to be trained by Matty White. A big chunk of the ownership lives in Auckland and he had good success when he went up their last year for their winter racing. He’s done a super job for us and it’ll be sad to see him go.”

And what are his chances in what looks like the race of the night?

“I worked him myself this morning (Wednesday) and he felt every bit as good as he normally does. It’s a bloody good Country Cups field. You wouldn’t be surprised if two or three of these horses are some of the nice open class horses in the next twelve months. He’s going to have to step well and get handy early. I’m sure there’s going to be plenty of tempo in that race.”

American Me had fifty eight starts for the White stable, winning nine, including the Group One Invercargill Cup, the Group Three Methven Cup and the Listed Roy Purdon Memorial.

Outside of the feature races the stable is also represented by Randel Huston P (Peak) in the Coca Cola Handicap Trot. He last raced in February.

“He’s pretty forward in his work and he didn’t really have that long off, so he’s got a fair bit of residual fitness. Hopefully he can get away nice, find the pegs and give himself a chance of running in the top four. He’s had the odd issues with jumping the shadows when they change the light colour at Addington. We changed to a brush shadow roll this week.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink