STAR Queensland stablemates Gus and The Janitor will race at Menangle on Miracle Mile night.
While Gus will go to the $100,000 Group 1 Hammerhead Mile on March 14, co-trainer Pete McMullen said rising star The Janitor would skip the $1 million Miracle Mile.
"He'll go down with Gus, but we'll run him in the Lighthorse free-for-all instead of the Miracle Mile," he said.
"He hasn't raced for a while and it'll be more of a stepping stone towards Cambridge in April for him."
The Janitor is being set for the $NZ1 million Race by betcha against the likes of Leap To Fame, Kingman, Republican Party and others at Cambridge on April 10.
He hasn't raced since a close and fantastic third to Don Hugo and Leap To Fame in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on December 6.
In contrast, Gus returned from a spell with a huge win off a daunting 40m handicap at Albion Park on February 7.
"He'll probably run again here (Albion Park) next week and then go to Sydney before we focus on Cambridge," McMullen said.
Gus shot to stardom when he won the Dominion and NZ Trotting free-for-all during NZ Cup Week.
His Cambridge target is the $NZ600,000 Trot Slot.
“We’ve got the slots confirmed and are really targeting Cambridge,” McMullen said.
McMullen said it was unlikely Gus would stay in NZ beyond the Trot Slot for races like the Anzac and Rowe Cups.
“We’ve got a big team of horses and two kids, it’s hard to go away from home for that long,” he said.
“It’s also not that long after Cambridge until the Inter Dominion here (Albion Park).”
The Janitor was given a standing-start trial at Albion Park this week with a longer term view to November’s $1 million NZ Cup.
“It’s a long way off, but we thought we’d take the chance to give him some standing start practice,” McMullen said.
“He’s got Cambridge, the Inter Dominion here and then, all going well, he and Gus will go to NZ Cup Week.”
PHOTO: HRNZ/Races Images NZ
