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Miller dodges Mackay Newmarket with Isis Carmella

14 July 2022

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By Glenn Davis

Rockhampton trainer Kevin Miller is confident his decision to bypass the Newmarket with Isis Carmella will be vindicated when the filly tackles the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap at Mackay on Friday.

Isis Carmella is chasing a hat-trick of wins following her recent victories at Rockhampton and Mackay and was among the nominations for the $75,000 Newmarket Handicap over 1300 metres.

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“I threw a nomination in for the Newmarket just in case she got too much weight in the QTIS race,” Miller said.

“She was given 62.5kgs, which we claimed off last start when she won, so after she got the same weight again it was an easy decision to stick to the three-year-old race.

“It was always our preference to run her against her own age and the Newmarket was just a bit of insurance in case she got too much weight in the QTIS race.”

Isis Carmella has started 13 times for eight wins and three placings and has earned just over $224,000 in prize money for connections, which include Miller.

“She’s a good filly but she doesn’t like a lot of work,” Miller said.

“After she races, I don’t work her for a while and she goes out and runs around in a grass paddock.

“I’ve been swimming her a lot lately as she’s had trouble in the past with her hamstrings.”

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Miller sent Isis Carmella to Brisbane for a short campaign with co-trainers Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted at the start of the year but she lasted only two runs, winning at the Sunshine Coast before finishing well back in the field at Doomben in January.

“I’m not sure why she didn’t like it down there but she can be a funny filly,” he said.

“I think she just likes being at home where she can run around in a grassy paddock.”

Miller works as a boilermaker in Rockhampton and currently prepares a team of nine horses.

He rates the Olivia Cairns-trained Fire King as the main threat to Isis Carmella on Friday.

The Miller youngster will again be ridden by impressive local apprentice Tahlia Fenlon.

Isis Carmella beat Fire King when the pair clashed at their last starts at Mackay on July 1.

“Fire King is definitely the one to beat. He’s a very good horse on his day,” he said.