By Michael Guerin
Three of New Zealand’s best pacers will miss their biggest targets of the season after shock errors ruled them out of Menangle features over the next fortnight.
Star Galleria misses his shot at qualifying for next week’s A$1 million Miracle Mile and Utmost Delight and Elle Mac the Ladyship Mile after all missed the nomination cut off yesterday morning for the preludes at Menangle this Saturday.
Star Galleria needed to contest a $100,00 prelude of the Miracle Mile to have any chance of qualifying for the great race, while his stablemate Utmost Delight and the All Stars-trained Elle Mac had to start in a mares race this week and finish top four to qualify for the A$200,000 Ladyship Mile.
Trainer Steven Reid missed the nomination time for both Star Galleria and Utmost Delight by two minutes.
“I was buying a horse at the sales and thought I had plenty of time but when I went to nominate the free calling number you use doesn’t work from New Zealand,” explained Reid.
“By the time I googled the office number and then rang them, got through to the racing office via reception I was too late.
“I tried to explain what happened but their boss John Dumesny told me he would check the phone records and if I was late they couldn’t bend the rules.
“He checked the phone log and I was two minutes later and they won’t let them start. So they are coming home.”
While Reid was disappointed, the owners of Utmost Delight, Paul and Mary Kenny, were pragmatic about the error.
“It is disappointing but people make mistakes,” said Kenny, who still has Dream About Me in the race.
Elle Mac was being nominated online but because she had never raced in Australia she was not already in their system so that couldn’t be completed and by the time the phone call was made to try and rectify that problem it was too late.
That leaves New Zealand with six potential Miracle Mile contenders, all from the All Stars, contesting preludes on Saturday while Dream About Me (Ladyship Mile), Princess Tiffany (NSW Oaks) and I’m Anothermasterpiece (NSW Derby) will contest preludes of those races.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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