Racing: Fast pace key to Foreal's chances in Miracle Mile

SYDNEY - Anthony Butt says he will drive New Zealand mare Foreal for luck in the A$500,000 ($539,800) Miracle Mile at Harold Park, Sydney, tomorrow night.

With the likely scratching of emergency Smooth Satin, Foreal will start from the outside barrier of seven and won't be taking on favourite, and likely leader, Lookslikelightning in a speed duel, Butt said.

"Lookslikelightning is very fast from the gate and I think he is going to lead easily and then it becomes a matter of how much pressure they put on him in the middle stages," Butt said.

Butt is hoping horses like It Is I and Sokyola put plenty of pressure on the West Australian pacer and keep the pace on all the way.

"It's the only chance Foreal has. If they go hard up front, it gives the backrunners more of a chance at the finish.

"I will drive her for luck. She will go back and I'll hope for a cart into the race at the right time."

If the speed slackens off as it did last year when leader Sokyola led all the way, Foreal's winning chances diminish considerably.

Added Butt: "It is out of our hands a little bit. The race is dependent on what the others do."

Foreal is a $17 outsider in the race and while Butt concedes it is a huge rise in class for her, he doesn't think she should be left out of punters' calculations.

"People are forgetting her a bit. You've got to remember she beat the favourite by four lengths at Newcastle two starts ago. If she gets the right run she will outsprint most of them."

Foreal won an invitation into the Miracle Mile with a sizzling win in the Ladyship Mile at Harold Park last Friday night.

The four-year-old sprinted forward four wide to challenge the leader with 600m remaining, scoring by 9m and running the 1760m in 2:6.6.

- NZPA