While Terry Henderson might travel the world looking for a Melbourne Cup winner for OTI Racing, he stills enjoys watching and following harness racing. Henderson’s friendship with New Zealand trainer Barry Purdon stretches back many years, more than either care to remember.
Purdon is targeting this year’s Miracle Mile carnival with 2015 Chariots Of Fire winner Our Sky Major and Henderson is hoping the multiple group one winner can land him his fifth Miracle Mile.
Henderson shared in the ownership of freakish juvenile Chokin who won the Miracle Mile in 1993 and 1994. While NSW Derby, Chariots Of Fire and dual Miracle Mile winner Holmes DG was another horse Henderson enjoyed racing.
“I’m not as involved in harness racing as much as I was 20 years ago when Pacers Australia was going but I have a great friendship with Barry Purdon and I continue to race pacers in partnership with him,” Henderson said.
“I was at Menangle when Our Sky Major won the Chariots Of Fire last year and while I won’t be there to see him compete in a lead up to the Miracle Mile qualifiers on Saturday, I will definitely be watching the race on television.”
While Our Sky Major looks to be out of form, Henderson is confident he can bounce back to form in time for the $750,000 Miracle Mile.
“The plan was to take him to Western Australia for the Inter Dominion but he had an infection and he just wasn’t right so Barry decided to focus his attention on the Miracle Mile.
“I remember Chokin looked to be off his best form before his second Miracle Mile and thankfully Peter V’landys had a representative from Harold Park fly over to New Zealand to watch him trial and on the back of that he got an invitation and then went on to win it.
The selection policy has since changed with horses qualifying in the Cordina Sprint and Coca-Cola Sprint, therefore Our Sky Major will need to be somewhere near his best next Saturday night.
“I’m sure the race this Saturday night will be the perfect lead-up to next weekend and then hopefully I can get a chance to win my fifth Miracle Mile.”
Our Sky Major will compete in race seven at Menangle on Saturday night, the Paul Fitzpatrick Free-For-All. The race is scheduled to begin at 9:22pm.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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