Progeny of Always B Miki star on both sides of the Tasman
It was a massive weekend of results for Always B Miki in the Southern Hemisphere, with a new Group 1 winner, his first Australasian sub 1:49 pacer, and a quartet of smart age group stakes performers.
The exciting Mark and Nathan Purdon trained juvenile, Rubira extended his unbeaten record to three wins from three starts after taking out the Group 1 Diamond Creek Farm 2YO Classic at Invercargill on Sunday afternoon.
The last start Kindergarten Stakes winner had to dig deep to win, fighting out a stirring home straight duel with Always Dreaming to score by a half head.
The undefeated youngster has now won just over $100,000 in stakes earnings.
Bred by Breckon Farms Ltd, he is out of a Bettorʻs Delight full sister to the six-time Group 1 winner Belle Of Montana.
Always B Miki was also represented on the card by a further two stakes performers with Aardie B Miki finishing second in the Group 2 Southern Oaks and Harrison John placing third in the Group 2 Southern Supremacy Final.
Always B Miki is currently New Zealandʻs leading sire of 2-year-old pacers and third on the 3-year-old Pacing Sires Table.
Across the Tasman, Aardie B Mikiʻs older full sister Aardieʻs Express scorched around the Menangle Track on her Australian debut, winning the Group 3 Sibelia Stakes in a sizzling time of 1:48.9 - the fastest time recorded by a mare to date this season.
It was her 14th win from just 20 starts and took her earnings to $219,864.
She defeated another New Zealand bred daughter of Always B Miki, in Illavabubbles, who has been in terrific form of late having won six of her 10 starts this year and taking a career best winning time of 1:49.8.
Bred by Bromac Lodge Ltd and Slingsby Holdings Pty Limited, Aardieʻs Express is out of the multiple Group 1 placed Rocknroll Hanover mare Tatijana Bromac.
At Melton, the highly touted son of Always B Miki, Fate Awaits lost few admirers when finishing third in the Listed Nutrien Equine Classic 2YO Colts and Geldings Final after racing parked for the last 1200m.