STAR Tasmanian pacer Beautide is likely to start an odds-on favourite to retain his Miracle Mile title at Menangle (NSW) on Saturday night after drawing a favorable barrier for the Group 1 event.
Beautide will start from barrier three and given his early speed capabilities corporate bookmakers have reacted by installing him at the short quote of $1.80.
As much as $2.60 was being offer by fixed odds bookmakers before the barrier draw.
Beautide returned to top form last start with an emphatic win in the $100,000 Group 1 Coca-Cola Sprint at Menangle, clocking a slick mile rate of 1:50.4 on his way to defeating Guaranteed and Easy on the Eye.
If successful, Beautide would become the eighth to win consecutive Miracle Miles.
Westburn Grant was the first to achieve the feat in 1989-90- followed by NZ star Chokin (1993-94); Holmes D G (1999-2000); Sokyola (2003-04); Be Good Johnny (2005-06) and Smoken Up (2010-11).
Two Miracle Miles were run in 1986 of which one was taken out by Master Mood while Western Australian superstar Village Kid won the other and he went on to win again in 1987 sol he too is essentially a back-to-back winner of the prestigious event.
While Beautide dominates betting for this year’s event, New Zealand star Christen Me has been installed the second favourite at $5 and he was runner-up to Beautide in last year’s race.
The final field in barrier order, and fixed odds on offer with Tattsbet:
Easy On The Eye $21
Avonova $11
Beautide $1.80
Christen Me $4.50
For A Reason $7.5
Chariot King (2nd emerg) $101
Guaranteed $10
Suave Stuey Lombo $10
Bettor Bet Black (Emerg) $101
Terror To Love $21