Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Oakford trainer Jemma Hayman, excited at Taking the Miki’s effortless victory in the $30,000 Allwood Stud Farm Race For Roses at Gloucester Park on Friday night, heaped praise on the mare, saying that she possesses the X factor.
“She has a heart bigger than herself, and she has just got that grit and will to win, which most good horses need to have,” she said. “She has that X factor.”
Taking The Miki started from the 10m line and was a warm $1.50 favourite after three wins and a third placing from four starts after resuming from a spell.
Jill Mach ($34) set the early pace from Pivotal ($31) with Taking The Miki beginning speedily. Chris Voak then urged her forward and she strode to the front after 500m, with the $4.40 second fancy Three Rumours going forward after galloping at the start.
Three Rumours then raced without cover, and she fought on gamely to finish third, with Jill Mach in second place.
Four-year-old Taking The Miki, the youngest runner in the race, has proved to be an excellent buy. She was purchased for $26,000 at the 2020 Perth APG yearling sale by Hayman, who races her in partnership with seven stable clients.
Taking The Miki now boasts a splendid record of 32 starts for nine wins, ten seconds and four thirds for stakes of $268,253. She is by American sire Always B Miki and is the first foal out of the Bettors delight mare All American Dream, who raced 63 times for four wins (two at Busselton and one each at Bunbury and Williams), seven placings and $23,908.
Hayman said that she and her husband, Ross Olivieri, were looking at many yearlings before the 2020 sale. “Ross spotted her and really liked her,” said Hayman.
“So, I telephoned Denise Trobe, a breeding expert, to ask her for her opinion. She called me back the following morning and said that this filly ticked all the boxes and that I should make sure I bought her. I’m so grateful for her advice.”
Interestingly, Olivieri has prepared three winners of the Race For Roses — Arctic Fire (2011), Selkie (2014) and Sheer Rocknroll (2017).
Hayman said that Taking The Miki would have her next start in the $50,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes next Friday night.