Racing: Secret love drives Kyle

Kyle Mills

After some of cricket's off-field dramas this year, the following may shock readers:

Some days at dawn, on the outskirts of Pukekohe, you can find the 6ft 4in frame of Black Caps all-rounder Kyle Mills contorted into ungainly positions - knees up around his ears.

The pounding is audible from a distance; sweat-soaked muscles glisten in the half light; Mills, whip in hand, is enraptured.

But this secret love affair may not impress New Zealand Cricket boss Martin Snedden, who was severe on Daryl Tuffey's off-field pursuits.

Mills knows there's something in his contract about avoiding dangerous activity - skiing, motor-racing, bull-fighting - but he can't help his addiction. He's just hoping that squeezing into a sulky and driving horses for Pukekohe trainer Gareth Dixon is okay by NZ Cricket.

"Trackwork is a rush, especially when you get up to 50km/h, but I don't mind if I'm just washing the horses down or gearing them up. They're great animals to be around."

Mills, 26, has felt this way about horses for some time - no surprise given his pedigree. The Auckland all-rounder comes from racing stock. His parents even met in the stables at Alexandra Park - he was a humble Takanini stable hand; she was the daughter of the mobile starter at Alexandra Park for 20 years. That starter is Charles Morrison, part of an illustrious harness racing family.

Naturally Kyle was drawn to the thunder of hooves on turf and he has the utmost admiration for horses. "The fact you can lead them around is incredible. They are 500kg beasts, they could take off if they wanted to and you couldn't stop them."

In that sense, horses hand humans the power. But the feeling of being powerless in sport has been familiar territory for Mills this year.

He had it when he bowled to Australia's incomparable Adam Gilchrist this summer - and fought it. He feels powerless when his galloper Hit The Bit runs - but embraces it.

Although Mills confronted Gilchrist's prowess better than most in the Black Caps, he looks at it as a lesson in belief. "I was thinking even if it's a good ball I'm in trouble. You have to ignore that attitude and back yourself at all times. You've got to believe you can bowl a good ball and be respected for it."

New Zealand cricket has its share of racing enthusiasts. Ken Rutherford ended up working for the TAB. Today Mills isn't alone in the Black Caps as a punter. "There are a few guys in their who love the casino and who spend more money than me."

And there are other horse owners, including Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming. "I wouldn't say Flem's a horse lover. He's just got too much money I guess."

All Mills has to do now is convince his girlfriend racing isn't that bad.

She had an unfortunate initiation. "We arrived at the racecourse in Matamata and headed straight for the fence so we could see the horses run past. I love seeing them up close and hearing the jockeys yell at each other."

That wasn't the only noise. "Then we heard a really loud snap and you could see a horse had broken his leg - he was limping along on three legs."

If that wasn't upsetting enough for Di Pauling, Mills' mother offered her the comforting words: "It's all right, they'll get the gun out and put a bullet in its head."

Still, the day wasn't all bad. "Hit The Bit ran home for third at 10 bucks a place," said Mills, who had $100 each way on the 50-1 outsider.

With his dad Terry, Mills is in a syndicate that owns Hit The Bit, who is in the paddocks before a summer campaign as a 4-year-old.

Mills is in a harness racing syndicate with his brother Heath, the cricket players association manager, and former All Black halfback Ant Strachan.

They sold Cyclone Cully, sired by Christian Cullen, two years ago and are hoping to fetch good money for Cyclone Cully's full sister in February.

Mills is back in training but he's not yet sure if he'll go on September's tour to Zimbabwe.

Away from cricket, his plans are more definite. "When I can afford it I want to get my own sulky built so my knees aren't up around my ears."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY