Mile A Minute Facing Acid Test In Derby

FOR the second time in his brief career, Victorian youngster Mile A Minute has been thrown in the deep end, tackling Wednesday night's Listed Western Districts Derby heats (450m) at Ballarat.

Winner of five of his seven starts, Mile A Minute (box 4), trained by Kel and Jackie Greenough, faces an acid test against Group 2 Horsham Cup winner Fernando Phil (box 1) in the first of five heats.

"It's probably a bit of a test for him," Kel Greenough said.

"We thought initially he might be a country cups dog and this will help us find out if he can take the next step.

"The big thing with the Derby series is that the age limit goes right back (August 1, 2021). It's not like a puppy classic and you're racing against dogs with quite a bit of experience.

"Fernando Phil has drawn the red in his heat and you've got to try and beat it. Gee whiz!

"He's taking on a country cups winner, so there's certainly no over-confidence."

In January, the Greenoughs catapulted Mile A Minute, a March '22 son of Superior Panama, into the Group 2 Traralgon Cup heats at just his fourth start.

After he was victorious in his first three assignments, all at Warragul, Mile A Minute started favourite in his Traralgon Cup qualifier but was never a factor, finishing seventh.

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MILE A MINUTE (Rug 5) displayed his potential at Warragul over 400 metres in a sparkling 22.347 seconds for Jackie and Kel Greenough.

MILE A MINUTE now has five victories from only seven races.

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— Trent Langskaill (@trentlangskaill) April 26, 2024

"He did everything wrong at Traralgon; didn't come out and then got into trouble," Greenough said.

"Traralgon is a bit of a strange track, but I trialled him there before the heats and a few of the cup dogs were trialling too and he went quicker than all of them.

"He hurt a stopper bone and had some time off after that.

"I'm hoping he can run a respectable race and it might tell us whether he's up to this class of dog or not.

"His owner (Rodney Campbell) is a lovely, genuine bloke and we're hoping the dog might be able to win something for him."

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In addition to Fernando Phil, Michelle Mallia has another frontline Derby contender in last start Group 2 Warrnambool Cup victor Matt Loch (heat 3, box 7).

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, the Greenoughs' focus shifts to Sandown Park for the heats of the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson, with Melbourne Cup runner-up Big Energy to exit box seven in the opening heat.

Eyebrows were raised – including Kel Greenough's – when a 35 per cent share in Big Energy was offered for sale on the Greyhound Data website on Monday.

"I don't really know much more than that," Greenough said.

"As far as Thursday night goes, he hasn't really drawn well, so he's going to need luck.

"Afire's last few runs have been enormous, so Big Energy will need to put his best foot forward and whether he can do that from that box we'll have to wait and see."