PAST THE POST with John Elsegood STRIKING GURU FINALLY STRIKES A CITY WIN

With no Disco Bling in the race, 'Guru's' victory ended a frustrating run of places, two recently behind that smart performer and particularly on January 21 when 'Guru' looked a certainty half way down the straight only to be cut down emphatically in the concluding stages.

This has not been a recent phenomenon either. In a career of 34 starts Striking Guru has been placed in exactly half of those races.

Apart from Bruce Saxild and his Oz Racing Group smiling, so too was trainer Neville Parnham who had the quinella in the race with Dimitrius (Steven Parnham), a length behind the winner.

The move to put a 2kg claiming apprentice, Ryan Hill, on Striking Guru was an astute one for two reasons. First, as the trainer said the 5yo gelding "does not like carrying weight and the 1800m is about as far as he wants to go," and also Hill's ride was copybook and perhaps only bettered on the day by Shaun Meeres, on Seth's Blessed, the second leg of that jockey's double.

Past the Post with John Elsegood:ERKELENS STABLE ONE TO WATCH

The previous week Erkelens had come off her first double in Perth when Disco Bling and Goose had both won in fine style.

On a roll the temptation to start her charges must have been great.

However, the decision to scratch her horses at that meeting probably gives some clue as to why the trainer is enjoying success. Patience and consideration is a virtue in most forms of life and particularly in racing.

It often brings its own reward too.

In more clement weather on February 4 Erkelens wasn't that far off a treble. In the end she had to be satisfied with Disco Bling enjoying back-to-back wins; Goose and Amberlyn running second and third respectively behind Drive West; while Away Ye Go completed another second for her behind Silver Omen.

On February 11, a day when Simon Miller gained all the attention with his magnificent double in the Magic Millions races for the 2yo and 3 yo gallopers, Erkelens had earlier landed her first quinella after Flashy Doll and Sundown Clown were too strong for the opposition in a 1600m handicap race.

Sundown Clown had not raced further than 1300m, and mainly over the 1000-1200m distance for previous trainer David Hayes but Erkelens sees him as at least a 1600 -1800 performer, and perhaps further.

His good second over the mile, to his stablemate, indicates the Muchea trainer is on the right track.

Erkelens passion for horses started as a schoolgirl and her racing experience was developed under Eric Parnham (now deceased) and included North-West involvement.

Past the Post with John Elsegood MILLER TIME AGAIN-BIG TIME

Make no mistake Simon Miller is a trainer at the top of his game and his winning double, in successive feature races, revealed a stable and trainer still going places.

Miller once described jockey Pat Carbery,to this writer, as a 'freak and a genius' in big races and the diminutive one, who comes up to Miller's beltline, certainly revealed that touch in the $100,000 RM Williams-Magic Millions 3 YO Trophy (1400m) on Night War on February 11.

A caveat has to be entered. There was at least one occasion where the normally ebullient Miller was less than pleased with Carbery's ride on the filly. The trainer was curt with his jockey on November 26 last year after Carbery appeared to take off too early on Night War in the Placid Ark Stakes, being easily run down by Watermans Bay (Troy Turner).

However, aboard the classy chestnut on Saturday, Carbery got her away better than anything else but was quickly content to take a sit in fourth position, in the one-off-the -fence line.

Carbery ensured his charge maintained line and position until the corner where he switched smoothly to the paint without missing a brushstroke (The Doc will love this purple prose!).

The high gloss ride put the sealer on the opposition (sorry!) although Flag Officer (Craig Staples) battled on well to maintain his second position from the home turn from another classy galloper, Bliss Street (William Pike).

The two place-getters lost no friends. Flag Officer gave Paul Jordan his second second for the day (Right Time had been run down earlier by Teen Idol) although when I caught up with him he was more concerned with the fact that Passion Cantata had been badly stripped after being galloped on in the 2YO classic.

As for the Dan Morton-trained Bliss Street, racing first up from a spell this filly ran a perfect trial for her future Melbourne campaign –a place where she has already won a Group 3 race.

However, nothing could detract from Night War's win-Miller had her cherry ripe after her first-up third, in this campaign, (on January 28) against older horses.

Where once there was a doubt that the powerfully built filly could run the 1400m the record now speaks for itself – two starts and two wins over the journey.

In her career of 9 starts Night War now has a record of 5 wins and 3 placings with $572,421 in stakes.

Post-race Simon said that he had been waiting for the right horse to take back to his home city.

He need wait no longer.

Night War will join rival Bliss Street in going east and racing connoisseurs presumably can salivate again over forthcoming battles between the youngsters and their two prominent young trainers.

Len and Dan Morton are established 'raiders' on the international and interstate scene and Miller may now have at least one big gun to carry on the war in the east.

As part owner Ray Meadowcroft said at the presentation Miller not only has the satisfaction of a great training record with Night War but that he also has a great eye for horseflesh as he was the one that selected her as a yearling.

Certainly his day at Ascot kept getting better when Carbery, on Darlington Abbey, dressed more brightly than B1 or B2, from Bananas in Pyjamas, and resembling an imp from some medieval court, showed their rivals a clean pair of heels throughout the $250,000 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m).

This filly showed more dash than a nun escaping from the cloisters and Carbery ensured, from barrier 2, that the fancied rival, Miami Horror (9), was never going to be in the hunt.

Racecourse MC, Wes Cameron, couldn't resist a dig at his old sparring partner, from many post-race verbal jousts, when he referred to him as 'king of the kids.' It might have been a reference to the talented young horses in the Miller stable or it might have been the new colours Carbery was sporting, courtesy of the owners' children coming up with the new technicolour/rainbow creation.

Carbery's race outfit, of purple, green and light blue hoops, gold star, sleeves and cap was about as colourful as the various flavoured ice-creams Miller constantly devours !

Certainly 'Uncle Simon' seems to have a way with all juveniles and no doubt he will be shouting the iced stuff-on- sticks to his new band of two-legged creative assistants- that is if he doesn't get to them first!