Adelaide Cup winner Muir will be an outsider at the Sunshine Coast but the fact he is starting at all is a credit to trainer Trevor Miller.
The veteran trainer has refused to give up on Muir who was once among the elite in Australia’s stayers.
Muir will be having only his second start in just over three years in the Listed Glasshouse Mountain Sprint (1400m) on Saturday.
There will be few horses racing in Australia on Saturday with a more interesting story than Muir.
The eight-year-old was a one of several European stayers bought from the Coolmore operation by leading Australian owner Lloyd Williams.
Muir had been trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland where he won three races.
He proved a good buy for Williams and trainer Robert Hickmott winning the Group Two Adelaide Cup in 2011 but had his last start for the stable one month later in the Sydney Cup when he finished 11th to Stand To Gain.
Muir was then bought at a dispersal sale by Miller who syndicated him with a group of clients.
However, leg problems resulted in Muir having one start for Miller finishing last behind Famous Seamus in the Hinkler Stakes at Eagle Farm in April 2013.
“He has had trouble with his near side front tendon. He hurt it again when we started him and we have had to take him along slowly,” Miller said.
“Hopefully, he can run well and then stand up to a campaign. There are a lot of staying races which will suit him after the winter.”
Originally from Cunnamulla in western Queensland, Miller moved to Caloundra in 1986 and since has won a dozen Sunshine Coast premierships and about 700 winners on the track.
His best horses have included the Caloundra Cup winner King Latarmiss and sprinters Heavenly Knight, Whale of A knight and Baal Yabba.
But his best known horse was Gallant Ruler who set a record for a Queensland TAB track with his 24 wins at home.
