My Field Marshall is the new king of the Menangle mile after storming to victory in track-record time in the Miracle Mile on Saturday night.
The winner of the Len Smith Mile last year had been set for this race and the choice to forgo every other major was vindicated in the ultimate test of speed.
Trainer Tim Butt presented him in top order and got the perfect drive from his brother, Anthony, who arrived just in time to win in time of 1.46.9 in a blanket finish from Jilliby Kung Fu and a brave Soho Tribeca.
“We missed the Inter Dominion, we missed the Hunter Cup for this race,” Tim Butt said. “Nine out of 10 times that doesn’t work out.
“You don’t think it is going to work out, but you don’t think you have a horse that can go 1.46.
”It is quite amazing to look at the clock.”
While the Butts celebrated, the disappointment of the race was favourite Lazarus, which never got going after sitting three wide throughout from the wide draw and only beat one home. It was the first time in 45 starts the superstar had missed a place.
“We had a plan to make a mid-race move, but when they are flying up in front you just can’t make that move,” driver Natalie Rasmussen said. “He has gone as good as he could go.
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“It has been a long season and he might have just come to the end.”
It was a smart drive by Butt, who didn't have the attention of others in the field. He had My Field Marshall three back in the running line as Anything For Love and Soho Tribeca flew through the first two quarters in 26.3 and 27.3 seconds.
When they motored the third quarter in 26.2sec he bided his time and followed Jilliby Kung Fu into the race at the top of the straight and finished over the top of him in the final couple of strides.
“He came off the bit on the turn, but there is one thing about him, he can run those times off any speed,” Anthony Butt said. “Last week he probably went quickly late, but they had only gone steady.
“In the end he was the strongest, fastest horse.”
My Field Marshall scored by a head from Jilliby Kung Fu with a brave Soho Tribeca a nose back in third.
Jilliby Kung Fu’s driver, Jason Lee, never thought he had the race in his keeping on the four-year-old, but was amazed at the time.
“It actually didn’t feel that quick out there," Lee said. "I always thought I was going to get Soho Tribeca, but knew My Field Marshall was on my back and would come late.
"He has gone super. The only thing that would have been better was if he won."
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SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
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