Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Outstanding Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice almost gave up preparing Mikis Beach because of the gelding’s problems. But he realised that the pacer had excellent potential, and he decided against abandoning him.
“I persevered with him, and now he is repaying us for our patience,” said Prentice.
Mikis Beach notched his third win from five outings in his current preparation when he endured a tough run in the breeze until Gary Hall Jnr sent him to the front with just over a lap to travel in the 2130m Catalanotrucks.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He has a lot of ability but has had a lot of problems,” said Prentice after Mikis Beach, the $1.20 favourite, had gone on to win on Friday night, beating two $126 outsiders Gee Smith and Beyond Bling.
“He had gaiting problems, and I almost gave up on him, early on. It took a long time to get him right. He is the hardest horse I’ve had to gait up. But he also showed me that he had a motor.
“He was keen tonight, but over racing is not usually an issue for him.”
Hall explained that Mikis Beach had begun to race fiercely after getting to the breeze in the first lap when $10 chance Alta Freeway was setting the pace.
“He wasn’t great, and then he hit the wheels a couple of times on the bend into the home straight the first time,” he said. “Later, he got really keen when Voaky (Chris Voak) was urging Alta Freeway. That set Mikis Beach off even more, so I thought I’m only going to cause myself harm if I hold on to him, so I went to the front at the bell after a 27.4sec. quarter, something I didn’t need, but sometimes you have no choice.”
Mikis Beach covered the third 400m section of the final mile in 28.2sec. before running the final quarter in a modest 31sec. He rated 1.55.7.
“He is a good horse, and ability-wise, he is a Nugget horse,” said Hall. “He has stretched Mister Smartee’s neck before.
Prentice said that if Mikis Beach pulled up well after his win, he would nominate him for the Golden Nugget to be run next Friday night.
Mikis Beach, purchased for $50,000 at the 2021 Perth APG yearling sale, has had 17 starts for eight wins, four placings and $55,073. He is by Always B Miki and is the first foal out of unraced Somebeachsomewhere mare Coopers Beach, whose half-brother Devil Dodger had 244 starts for 38 wins, 63 placings and $724,666. He won the group 1 Australasian Breeders Crown for three-year-old colts and geldings at Melton in August 2010.