Millwood Nike in a league of her own

[Wandering Eyes]

By Jonny Turner

Next level is the only way to describe Millwood Nike following her record-breaking win in the Ace Of Diamonds at Addington on Grand Prix Day.

The brilliant filly’s performance was so good, it just about had to be seen to be believed.

On a national-record-breaking speed, the star Mark Purdon and Hayden sat parked throughout before breezing by her rivals at the top of the straight as if that sizzling pace had meant nothing to her.

Clearly a champion of her year and unbeaten in eight starts, Millwood Nike is simply made of different material to the average horse.

And Mark Purdon thinks it is the filly’s top-two inches that sets her apart.

“She has just got all of the attributes, she didn’t take anything out of herself sitting parked.”

“That is very important when you are racing at this level and things don’t quite go your way.”

“We did think it might work out that way, that she would be left parked, but she relaxed nicely and was able to quicken when I asked her to.”

Sunday’s win was Millwood’s Nike’s third at Group One level following her record breaking win in the Sires Stakes Fillies Championship last month.

Though she was clearly there before the race, her stunning victory clearly pushed Milwood Nike higher into rarefied air, occupied only by some of New Zealand’s greatest ever two-year-old fillies.

“Eight for eight at the end of the year, to run a national record at the end of the year and the way she did it,” Purdon said.

“She is the best filly.”

Aardiebytheseaside and Kahlua Flybye filled the placings behind Millwood Nike as they did in the Sires Stakes Fillies Final.

Aardiebytheseaside worked to the lead, setting up Sunday’s national-record breaking time before fighting on bravely.

The Steve and Amanda Telfer trained filly still lead passing the 200m before she was reeled in late by the winner.

In any other year, the filly may have been a two-time Group One winner, but she has come along at the same time as a champion filly in Millwood Nike.

The winner stopped the clock in the Ace Of Diamonds in a 2-20.3 time for 1980m.

In doing so, Millwood Nike broke the 2-21.2 national record time she set in the Sires Stakes Fillies Championship on Show Day.

Millwood Nike is raced by rugby league identities Frank and Shane Endacott, and Stephen Byrne, Steve Thompson and Bruce Irvine, following her purchase at the National Yearling Sales.

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