The real deal

Southland trained Miki’s Deal (Always B Miki) proved she has a touch of class when she outstayed eleven harness racing rivals in the Caduceus Club Three Year Old Ladyship Stakes at Alexandra Park tonight.

The Brett Gray trained filly from the outside of the gate, was never close to the inside running line and endured the toughest of runs. But she still had the audacity to get up and beat pacemaker and favourite All Of Me by half a length with Time For Change a length and a half back in third.

MIKI’S DEAL REPLAY

The winning time was 2-40.1.

“Terrific run. She was never on the track, she had to be good and she was,” said driver Matty Williamson.

The win is a big thrill for Gray, it’s the first time the southern horseman has raced a horse in Auckland.

“The flying just makes it so easy. She travelled up here an absolute treat,” Gray said.

Owned by Winton plumber Marty Fairbairn, Miki’s Deal is very much home bred and is out of Bettor’s Delight mare Delightful Deal who won four races for Nathan Williamson. Her dam, Deal On The Day who was by Julius Caesar, won five races for Kirk Larsen.

Miki’s Deal has won four of her eight starts and three of those wins have now been in Group Three features. The win takes her earnings to over $100,000.

She looked very smart as an early two year old, winning her first two starts, both at Group level.

“She just started to do things wrong and was getting on a knee. Luckily, she wasn’t over raced. She was given a good break and has come back terrific,” Williamson said.

The trip north was always in the back of Gray’s mind and her win at Winton cemented the Ladyship Stakes tilt.

“She’s been working really well and won well at Winton so that’s why we came here. She’s a nice horse when she’s right. The last month she’s just been in the zone and her work has been top notch.”

Miki’s Deal will down head home to Southland as she’s not eligible for next week’s Harness Million.

“She might come back up here for the Sires’ Stakes but we’ll aim at the Southern Oaks, which is her home series.”

The win is a continuation of the fabulous run Gray has had with the stock of Always B Miki with the likes of You’re So Fine, Always Ticking, Side Hustle, Proposition Joe and Hayley Jaccka.

“They’re the best. I hear he’s coming back. So that’s good.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink