Racing: Stress relief pays dividends

When accountant Jon Miller walked into racing, it was as a hobby to help release stress.

When he leaves the track each morning he tells his mates he is now heading to do his real work.

He knows, and now so do they, that he's joking.

Hard work has given Miller one of horse racing's best strike rates with his small team and he can win both the feature flat races at Te Rapa tomorrow with Sir Valiant and Marea.

Sir Valiant has the stats to say he will go close. He just loves Te Rapa - he's had 15 starts there for four wins and four placings.

"That's why I dodged the Ellerslie Queen's Birthday meeting with him," said Miller.

"I knew this meeting was coming up and quite apart from his liking of the track itself, the better track conditions this week is what he's looking for. The 3.8 reading should suit."

Sir Valiant does not meet a strong bunch in his seven rivals.

Clear topweight King Keitel went a better race at Wanganui last weekend than his seventh placing indicated.

The 3.5kg and more concession he has to make to his rivals will not be easy, but he is down in class and up in distance (2000m) and both will assist him.

Marea has won three of her eight starts for Miller.

It took a smart type in Veil to prevent her completing a hat-trick of wins at Ellerslie last start and it will take a useful effort to keep her out in the 1200m progressive.

The main worry is the No 12 barrier draw.

A couple of the emergencies have drawn inside that gate and Marea is likely to be aided slightly.

"I'll leave it up to Lee [Tiley] what she does. I gave her instructions when she first rode the mare, but she knows her now.

"If the opportunity arises I'm sure Lee will want to lead on her, but if they kick up inside her the mare can take a sit."

Marea has run on heavy ground at her last two starts and Miller feels the soft track tomorrow will assist her.