Something Else with John Elsegood MILLER SURVIVES ‘INQUIRY’ TO WIN AGAIN

Simon Miller had Taqwaa engaged and so help me the gap that appeared for him as he rolled around the final corner was wider than myself ,Wes Cameron and Clive Ruland put together –and laid horizontally!

Pat Carbery said thanks very much and the race was over as he pushed up along the fence from third position when the two pacemakers ran wide.

As the trainer was going to his customary position-the winners circle- I sidled up to him and asked him how he went at the stewards inquiry on Saturday.

"I wasn't here" he said, and then worriedly 'What was it about?"

"The inquiry was into you not having a winner on Saturday," I replied.

The famous wicked grin surfaced. He knew he had been had.

"You walked into that," I said as I walked away.

(For the record he almost won with Oz Racing's, Bombora, who was just shaded at the finish by Miss Tahitian. Personally, I intend to torment Bruce Saxild over Christmas for buying the wrong stock and letting his trainer down! More fun over the festive season assured.)

Obviously inspired by me, Simon decided to have a bit of fun with Wes Cameron in the post-race interview (the natural role of tormentor in this situation is normally played by Paul Jordan and Brendon Fitzgerald is pretty good at deadpan humour too).

Wes: "Simon, he is going through the grades beautifully."

Simon: "Yes he is Wes" (silence)

Wes: "Today he looked hard to beat with the right draw."

Simon: "Yes he did." (silence)

At this stage Wes was probably thinking of taking up dentistry as an easier occupation then working the Ascot racing patch and trying to pull out information from a po-faced trainer.

Wes (imploringly): "You are not making this any easier."

Miller then cracked up (as did the MC) and went back to his normal verbose self.

But what Wes didn't know was that Simon had come from the bar and had probably consumed above his quota of ice-creams –normally seven for the day, according to reliable sources- and if you think I am joking read my feature on 'Miller-Man' in Sunspeed, out soon at all quality newsagents and Gannons (says he shamelessly self promoting!)

Aah..... 'tis the season to be jolly.

It certainly has been for Miller......for months.