King Of Swing Leads New Zealand-bred Domination in Miracle Mile

The class of the New Zealand-bred was on show on Australasian harness racing’s biggest stage when King Of Swing (NZ) (Rocknroll Hanover) powered to victory in the $A1,000,000 Miracle Mile (1609m) at Menangle last Saturday night. 

 

The classy pacer turned one of Australia’s most prestigious races into a one-act affair when powering away from a star-studded field to clock a scintillating 1.49.2. 

 

Seven of the last nine runnings of the $1 million Miracle Mile Pace have been won by New Zealand-bred horses.

 

Saturday night’s victory completed back-to-back Miracle Mile wins for the Belinda McCarthy trained and Luke McCarthy trained pacer following his scintillating win in 2019.

 

With the way the star performer continues to improve his already outstanding game, the prospect of more Miracle Mile titles awaits.

 

“We’ll just keep spacing his races, focusing on the big ones and hopefully he’ll be racing at this level and winning for another couple of years yet,” Luke McCarthy told HRNZ.

 

“He’s a better, more seasoned horse now than he was 12 months ago and he knows he’s good now too.”

 

King Of Swing not only added a staggering eighth Group One title to his glittering resume, but the classy pacer also took his earnings past $2,000,000 with his scintillating victory.

 

A Group One placegetter in New Zealand and Group One winner in Perth, King Of Swing has only got better after joining the McCarthys in Sydney.

 

“We loved him from the day he arrived, but he’s kept improving as we’ve got to know him better,” Luke McCarthy said.

 

Breckon Farms offered several close relations to King Of Swing which were snapped up at NZB Standardbred’s 2021 National Yearling Sale in Auckland.

 

King of Swings half-brother (Lot 39), A Rocknroll Dance colt out of Twist And Twirl (NZ) (Artsplace) was purchased by Josh Dickie for $90,000.

 

Lot 83, an A Rocknroll Dance colt from Double Twist (NZ) (Artsplace), a full sister to King of Swing’s dam Twist And Twirl was sold to Robert Dunn’s Diamond Racing for $40,000.

 

Diamond Racing also purchased Lot 32, an Art Major filly out of a half-sister to Twist N Twirl in Spin To Win (NZ) (Mach Three) for $30,000.

 

Lot 7 a Bettor’s Delight colt out of Reachforthetill (NZ) (Art Major), who is a half-sister to Twist And Twirl was knocked down to Tony Herlihy for $70,000.

 

Lot 28 an Always B Miki filly from Spandu Ballet (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight), another half-sister to Twist And Twirl who was sold to Chester’s Bloodstock for $25,000.

 

New Zealand-breds dominated a massive night of harness racing at Menangle on Saturday evening, taking out three of four Group One features.

 

Majestic Man (Majestic Son) (NZ) continued his brilliant form across the Tasman when running to an emphatic six-metre win in the A$50,000 Group One Aquagait Equine Centre Trotters Mile (1609m).

 

The Phil Williamson trained trotter never gave his rivals a look in as he notched a sizzling 1.53.5 time.

 

The win saw Majestic Man crowned a Group One champion for the third time in his six-start Australian campaign.

 

Mach Shard (NZ) (Mach Three) also cashed in on a huge night for New Zealand-bred with his victory in the A$100,000 Group One Ainsworth Free-For-All for Belinda and Luke McCarthy.