Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Artful Miki, an immature and inexperienced three-year-old, produced a dazzling flying finish to snatch an unexpected victory in the $21,000 Children’s Medical Research Institute Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven expertly by his trainer Justin Prentice, Artful Miki, a $24.60 outsider, was restrained from the No. 4 barrier and raced at the rear before coming from seventh at the bell and fourth (three wide) on the home turn to get up and beat Bet The House ($4.80) and the $1.26 favourite Menemsha, rating 1.56.6.
Artful Miki’s cause was helped by a scorching lead time of 35.1sec. set by $23 chance Franco Encore, who began from barrier six and charged past the polemarker Menemsha after 250m.
Bet The House began from barrier eight and Chris Voak sent him forward with a three-wide burst after 450m to race without cover after the early speed battle. Bet The House took the lead 600m from home and withstood a strong challenge from Menemsha before he was overhauled by the flying Artful Miki.
“When they went hard early, I thought Artful Miki was a decent chance,” said Prentice. “He was disappointing last start (when third behind Louie Dior), but his work since then was good.
“He has had some maturity problems and has been a slow learner. But he has a good turn of foot, and he needs to strengthen up and mature.”
Prentice bought Artful Miki for $57,500 at the 2022 New South Wales yearling sale and the Always B Miki gelding is raced by a syndicate of Prentice’s stable clients. He has now had six starts for four wins and a third placing for stakes of $28,524. He was bred by Tony Dumesny, a member of one of the best known and famous harness racing families in NSW.
Artful Miki is the third foal out of the unraced Art Major mare Tremezzina, who is the dam of Chappy Streetnorth, who has earned $55,579 from seven wins in Newcastle and three in Victoria from 45 starts.