The Dubbo-trained nine-year-old left millionaires Auckland Reactor and Blacks A Fake in his wake but couldn't match winner Monkey King and Smoken Up.

"He went super but I could always see Monkey King in front of me and I knew what he could do," Bennett (pictured) said.

"When Monkey King went he just got away from me but (Karloo) Mick kept at it, and to run third in my first Miracle Mile was great."

The 38-year-old had earlier set a new track record for 2300m behind the John Tapp-trained Jukebox Music in the Mount Eden Championship Final.

But it was the Miracle Mile which was the big prize on offer yesterday and Bennett drove Karloo Mick perfectly to have him in the running line two back.

At the top of the straight Karloo Mick was tracking Monkey King and pulled out but couldn't match the eventual winner's top end speed.

"That was the difference - he can't run those lightning quarters," Bennett said. "Mick was going as fast as he could and Monkey King was just going faster.

"But he did his usual good job and there is a Group One in him, hopefully next week in the Treuer (at Bankstown)."

Even in defeat Karloo Mick was a crowd favourite and as he left the track he received a big cheer with a couple of cries of "good on ya Mick".

"That was pretty special," Bennett said.

"It was a big crowd but I felt they were on my side as I went on to the track. They were yelling out and coming back they were still happy even though he ran third."