Racing: Adore Me paces 1:47.7 mile

Adore Me driven by Mark Purdon. File photo / Sarah Ivey

Kiwi pacing heroine Adore Me will return for Friday night's Auckland Cup the best pacing mare in the world after a mind-blowing performance at Menangle yesterday.

On a day when Beautide defended his Inter Dominion title in effortless style, Adore Me stole the show by tearing the Australasian mile record apart.

She paced a 1:47.7 mile, taking 0.8 seconds off Smoken Up's long-time Australasian record and she did it after being three wide then parked for the A$200,000 Ladyship Mile.

That left the crowd and even champion trainer Mark Purdon stunned.

"I have been reluctant to call her the best horse I have trained but after that I have to," said Purdon.

"I would never have thought I'd have a horse who could pace 1:47.7 and do it after such a hard run.

"She is an amazing horse."

Purdon started Adore Me in the Ladyship Mile, instead of the Inter Dominion, because he believed it gave her a better chance of backing up to win the Auckland Cup in just five days.

She has drawn the outside of the second line in the Alexandra Park classic but is still likely to start.

"The final decision on that will be made when she gets home but she will almost certainly be there."

Adore Me's time was 0.7 of a second outside the fastest female pacing time in history but that was set in North America, where horses race under vastly different conditions, physically and medically.

The win began a huge day for her champion sire, Bettors Delight, who is also the sire of Beautide.

The latter was simply too good in the Inter Final, sitting parked outside Terror To Love and bolting clear in a replay of last season, ending a rollercoaster summer on a high.

While Adore Me will be the star attraction at Alexandra Park on Friday night, the Cup is anything but a gimme for her, even with her new-found status.

Also off the second line will be Christen Me, winner of the Miracle Mile and Victoria Cup, with Terror To Love possibly having his last career start in the 2700m mobile as well.

In front of them will be another of yesterday's Kiwi group one winners in Sky Major, who sat parked and beat Australasia's best 4-year-olds in the A$200,000 Chariots Of Fire.

He was calmly handed by Zac Butcher and outstayed Bling It On for trainer Barry Purdon, who confirmed a Cup start is likely.

Earlier, Adore Me's stablemate Fight For Glory started the records for day when she overcame an outside barrier draw to thrash her rivals in the A$200,000 NSW Oaks.

She also broke the Australasian mile rate record for a filly over 2400m, while yet another stablemate, Hug The Wind, went down to Ideal For Real in the last stride of the NSW Derby.

The field for the Auckland Trotting Cup on Friday night is: Cyamach (1), Smolda (2), Jason Rulz (3), Lancewood Lizzie (4), Sky Major (5), Ohoka Punter (6), Elios (7), Pemberton Shard (8), Terror To Love (9), Lewy Risk (10), Christen Me (11), Border Control (12), Adore Me (13).