Second Wind a likely speedster on the grass

Speed and grass track racing are not something that usually go hand in hand.

But tomorrow's Methven meeting, and the running of the Green Mile should see that adage go out the window.

A race hotly contested each year by some improving intermediate grade pacers, the Green Mile has established itself as a key lead-up race to some of the major grass track races.

That promise should be met with a $2000 bonus awarded to the winner should they break the grass track one mile record of 1min 57.8sec.

The record was set in the race by the Dean Taylor-trained Crushem in 2001 and while many winners since have gone close to that time, none have equalled or bettered it.

This year's favourite, Second Wind, could go one better though and there are a number of other runners to make sure it is a well run race.

A last-start emphatic winner of the Geraldine Cup, Second Wind is one of the new stars in Canterbury pacing.

Trained locally by Simon Adlam and to be driven by the in-form Ricky May, Second Wind ticks all boxes heading into tomorrow's $17,500 feature.

A four-year-old son of Dream Away and Carmel Maria, Second Wind is the winner of four of his seven career starts and this season alone has earned more than $48,000 in stakes which sees him well aboard the Harness Jewels leaderboard for his age group early in the season.

While Second Wind is the one to beat, there are some others which warrant serious respect.

Last-start Addington winner Cullen's Creek, which was runner-up to Second Wind at Geraldine, is sure to be well speced in the betting as are handy pacers St Barts, Smoke N Mirrors and Rangataua Ray.

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