Miata Awarded Australian Best Greyhound Race For March 2012
The AGRA's Run of the Month for March 2012 has been awarded to Superstar Western Australian stayer the Mighty Miata after her record breaking performance at Wentworth Park on March 31st. With the run of the month about to be awarded to sensational youngster Barcia Bale after his track record breaking effort on debut at Bulli, along came Miata.
Stepping out in the second heat of the Group 1 Hotham Body Repairs Association Cup over 720 metres, the Paul Stuart-trained Miata stifled betting, starting at $1.20 from box four. While it was the well-bred daughter of Bombastic Shiraz and Winsome Bluebird's first appearance in Sydney, she came to NSW having forged a massive reputation in her home state of WA.
The half-sister to former star NSW stayer Blue Lorian had won 20 of her 23 starts, including track records at Cannington over 530m, 642m and 715m, as well as over 647m at Mandurah.
Her form since stepping up to middle and staying distances has been simply sensational, with the October '09 whelp winning her previous 11 starts in brilliant fashion, highlighted by runaway feature victories in the Group 1 Galaxy at Cannington and Group 2 invitation Zoom Top at The Meadows. Enormous anticipation therefore surrounded Miata's first Sydney foray and the freakishly talented bitch lived up to the hype.
She continued on her winning way with a record-breaking all-the-way victory in her Association Cup heat, downing classy Victorian bitch Shimaguni by an ever-widening eight lengths in a blistering 41.81s. The time smashed former Tasmanian distance dynamo Chinatown Lad's previous record of 41.93s set in 2008.
Miata is a Red Fawn bitch whelped October 2009 by Bombastic Shiraz from Winsome Bluebird (Lansley Bale x Winsome Duchess). She raced by Nicole Wheeler-Whye & Paul Stuart and trained by Paul Stuart at Oakford in Western Australia. She has now won 21 races and been placed twice from her 24 starts. Her current stake earnings stand at $204,895, 92nd on the all time Australian greyhound racing record prizemoney list.
As usual there were some outstanding runs recorded in March. Spare a thought for freakish Barcia Bale something tells me he will feature in the not too distant future. However a city track record seldom goes under in such a manner plus given the importance of the race and quality of the field Miata got the nod to win the monthly award.
AGRA congratulates the owners Nicole Wheeler-Whye & Paul Stuart plus trainer Paul Stuart after being judged the AGRA Run of the Month for March 2012. She joins the January winner Heston Bale and February winner Radley Bale as the AGRA runs of the month for 2012.