Spirit Meister’s feature hopes live on

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Rodney Miller is not giving up hope that his rejuvenated sprinter Spirit Meister can pick up a Far North Queensland feature before his racing days are over.

Spirit Meister still has the zest for racing, but as an eight-year-old, father time is catching up.

Miller has abandoned any thoughts of retiring Spirit Meister, who was a paltry $20,000 buy as a yearling.

“This was going to be his last year, but there’s no plans of retiring him now the way he’s going,” Miller said.

“He’s a big horse, who always looks fat for some reason and he’s had his share of problems.

“He had a wind problem a while ago and a few niggling leg injuries, but he’s fine now.

“I’m still dirty I never entered him for the Cleveland Bay as I’ve never had him going so well.

“He ran second at Oak Park two starts back, but he missed the start five lengths and should have won, then he led them last start and won well at Cairns.”

Miller, who has a team of two in work in Cairns, is yet to train a feature winner in North Queensland.

However, he’s picked out the Cairns Newmarket over 1400 metres at Cannon Park later this month as his best hope of a long overdue breakthrough.

“I’m getting him ready for the Newmarket and if he leads in it, he’ll be hard to beat,” Miller said.

“I’m not sure why he’s been going so well, but I do know he hates the heat.

“This is the first time he’s raced through an entire winter and he’s thriving.”

Miller is unconcerned with Spirit Meister’s record in Townsville.

The son of Spirit Of Boom is yet to win in 17 starts at Cluden Park with six placings his best efforts.

He also has started nine times over 1200 metres at Townsville for five placings.

“His (Townsville) record does surprise me, but if he gets the chance to lead again, I think he’ll run a big race,” Miller said.

Spirit Meister has achieved more than $220,000 in prizemoney with nine wins and 31 placings from 63 starts.

“I got him cheaply because he had a bad walk when he was put up for sale as a young horse,” Miller said.

“They found he had a chip in a back hock, but the vet said it was a simple operation to fix.

“He would have sold for around $200,000 had he not had the hock problem, but we decided not to have the surgery and it hasn’t affected him much.”