BLUFF'S BETTER BARRIER A BONUS
Six horses have been invited to compete in this year's Miracle Mile at Menangle on Sunday November 29 and the two remaining spots will be up for grabs at Harold Park on Friday night in the Cordina Chicken Farm Sprint. The winner is guaranteed a start in Australia's premier sprint and Jim Douglass, the driver of Cant Bluff Me is expecting the six year old to return to his best after coming up with barrier number one.
Cant Bluff Me has had a shocking run with barriers in feature races recently and Douglass is happy that the good draw has come at the right time.

"When it has come to barrier draws in big races he has been a bit unlucky and it's good to see that he has drawn well with a Miracle Mile berth on the line" Douglass said.
"He went around in the Newcastle Mile last Saturday night and when he drew the outside it was always going to be tough to win but when they run the last half in 55.9 and you are out three wide off the track it is impossible."

The Aces N Sevens gelding finished fourth in the Newcastle Mile ten metres behind winner Saucy Legend and Douglass couldn't have hoped for any better.

"Someone told me Cant Bluff Me was clocked running his last half in 55 seconds."

Three starts ago Cant Bluff Me competed in the Queensland Pacing Championship, a leg of the Barastoc Grand Circuit and finished a very creditable second behind Blacks A Fake despite starting from barrier 12. He was driven quietly at the Gold Coast, exploding late to be only beaten three metres.

"That was his best run for us. Blacks A Fake ran 56.1 in front for the last half and we were a long way back but he sprinted very quickly that night and hopefully he can reproduce something like that again this week."

Douglass is hoping that Cant Bluff Me will be able to take advantage of his good draw and although the gelding isn't recognised as a fast beginner, Douglass is hoping to hold the lead.

"Yeah they are the plans at this stage. He has been showing more and more speed every start and the last time he drew barrier one he made some fast beginners work very hard to cross."

"It's no secret that Ian Wilson (trainer) had the farrier change his shoeing to try and help him get out of the gate quicker and we think that it's just about right now."

Smart beginner Washakie has drawn directly outside Cant Bluff Me and Douglass will discuss the options with connections should he get crossed early.

"I haven't really thought about that but Ian and I will speak with the owner of the horse later in the week and find out what he thinks is the best option should Cant Bluff Me be unable to hold the lead early."

Karloo Mick finished sixth in the New Zealand Cup last week and while he looms as a danger, Douglass is unsure if he is going to prove the hardest to beat.

"Obviously Karloo Mick is going very well at the moment, Be Good Johnny flies at Harold Park, Diamonds N Furs is a great short course horse as he showed at the Inter Dominion and Johnny El Gringo was great in the Brian Hancock Cup when he beat us so I don't think you can narrow it down to just one danger."

The Cordina Chicken Farms Sprint is race five on Friday night at Harold Park and will start at 8:30pm.

INEXPERIENCED EL GRINGO READY TO MIX IT WITH BIG BOYS
Trainer Anthony Bucca believes his six year old Johnny El Gringo is ready to take the next step and qualify for this year's Miracle Mile by winning Friday night's Cordina Chicken Farms Sprint at Harold Park. The John Street North gelding is lining up for just his 28th start and astonishingly had only won a single race this time twelve months ago.

Johnny El Gringo will start from barrier six on Friday night and Bucca has declared he will be going forward from the wide gate.

"There is no use going back when you are racing good horses, it's just too hard to come from the back and win" Bucca said.

"My aim is to make a statement on Friday because if he does make the Miracle Mile field and happened to draw 1,2 or 3 then I would want to hold the front."

Johnny El Gringo hasn't started since winning the Brian Hancock Cup from a second row draw at Harold Park in October. He galloped in the early stages of the event but still proved too strong for Cant Bluff Me and Twelve Paces.

"I have worked on him a lot since then to make sure he doesn't hop and skip around like he did that night. I would have been much more confident in getting to the lead had I drawn 4 or 5 this week but 6 isn't that much wider I guess."

"He worked really well this morning (Wednesday) and it makes me feel a lot more confident going into the race."

Bucca decided against competing in Saturday night's Newcastle Mile because he was concerned that three runs in two weeks would be too much for Johnny El Gringo. The six year old has two bowed tendons and it is a battle for Bucca to keep the gelding in work.

"He has problems and we have to stay on top of them otherwise we wouldn't have him for very long. He's spot on for this week and because he missed last Saturday night, should he get into the Miracle Mile he would be 100% on Sunday week."

Johnny El Gringo has won 5 of his 9 starts at Harold Park but boasts a better strikerate at Menangle having won 6 races from 9 attempts.

"He loves Menangle. He has already run some great times there and I know he can go even faster. I just hope he gets the opportunity."