Always B Miki pair sublime in stakes wins
For the second time in a fortnight Always B Miki has sired multiple stakes winners, with his brilliant daughter Aardieʻs Express storming home from near last to take out the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile at Menangle on Saturday night and Mister Smartee proving too good in the Group 3 WA 4YO and 5YO Championship at Gloucester Park the previous evening.
After a stunning sub 1:49 Aussie debut, Aardieʻs Express franked that form by lowering the colours of arguably Australiaʻs best mare in recent times, the three-time Australian age group Pacing Female of the Year, Ladies In Red, with a superb performance in the Queen Elizabeth II Mile.
Three wide for the entire trip, albeit with cover, Aardieʻs Express launched from the back of the field at the top the of straight, powering home to score by a neck from Ladies In Red with fellow Always B Miki mare Illavabubbles taking third place.
It was the strapping daughter of Always B Mikiʻs 15th win from just 21 starts and took her earnings to $328,864.
Bred by Bromac Lodge Limited and Slingsby Holdings Pty Ltd, Aardieʻs Express is out of the stakes performed Rocknroll Hanover mare Tatijana Bromac.
On Friday night, the Gary Hall Snr trained Mister Smartee made an equally impressive statement when taking out the WA 4YO and 5YO Championship at Gloucester Park.
The 4-year-old son of Always B Miki sat parked throughout and was still able to kick clear by a length from the chasing Alcopony at the line, rating 1:54.3 for the last mile of the 2,130m feature.
Like Aardieʻs Express, Mister Smartee has forged a terrific record, having now won nine of his 11 race-day starts and banked $138,380 in stakes winnings.
Bred by Dancingonmoonlight Limited, he is out of the of the Stonebridge Regal mare Luna Danza, a daughter of the multiple Group 1 winner and New Zealand Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Lento.