Rod Millman hoping bargain-buy fillies can deliver another Weatherbys windfall

Rod Millman is targeting bargain-buy fillies Bettys Hope and Daddies Diva at the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury on Saturday, the race he credits with keeping him in the training business for the past 22 years.

The Super Sprint is restricted to horses who cost £63,000 or less at public auction and on a Saturday somewhat quieter than seven days earlier is the standout highlight. Weights are determined by the sale price.

Millman is a regular participant having saddled Cop Hill Lad to finish second in 2003 and El Bosque to be fourth in 2006, however his love affair with the race began much earlier.

Millman, based in Cullompton, Devon, was in his eighth season with a licence when Lord Kintyre’s victory in the 1997 Super Sprint delivered his small stable its first big-race success.

“If it wasn’t for Lord Kintyre we wouldn’t be here, I’m sure,” said Millman, who is relying on Bettys Hope, who won a valuable nursery at Chelmsford last Saturday, and Nottingham novice winner Daddies Diva to prove strong candidates in the sprint.

Bettys Hope, who cost £3,000 and is owned by the trainer’s wife Louise, landed her second win when beating the odds-on Oh Purple Reign the weekend before last.

Two strong candidates

“We’ve always thought a bit of Bettys Hope,” said Millman. “We fancied her first time out and she came up against Lady Kermit who was too strong for her on the day. She has had three seconds and she has won her last two races.

“We gave her a bit of a break to get her fresh for the Super Sprint. That Saturday race was her prep. She probably would be better over six furlongs but she has got only a low weight for the Super Sprint. The only drawback is she will get a small 3lb penalty. As she cost only £3,000 she is still quite well in."

He continued: “Daddies Diva won her maiden and then got blown out of water by Monoski at Pontefract. She went to Bath next time where she hung a bit but she is in good form for the Super Sprint. She cost only £2,000. She is just as good as Bettys Hope, probably a bit quicker.”

As for what he thinks of the valuable contest which is often targeted by those below Premier League level, Millman said: “I always make entries in the Super Sprint. It’s the race that has kept me in business. Back in 1997 I had only three two-year-olds and was training only 11 or 12 horses. Things were going very bad.

“Lord Kintyre came along, won the Super Sprint and kept me in business by giving me a big push. We have trained nearly 700 winners now and we have a good family business. If it wasn’t for Lord Kintyre we wouldn’t be here, I’m sure. It’s a wonderful race.”

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