NSW Harness Racing Club officials took a double blow yesterday with the withdrawals of Kiwi superstar Auckland Reactor and dual winner Be Good Johnny from the $500,000 Miracle Mile (1760 metres) at Harold Park next Friday night.

Trainer-driver Mark Purdon said Auckland Reactor would not be making the trip because of quarantine restrictions.

The $4 million sensation of New Zealand harness racing, unbeaten in 14 starts, will race instead at Auckland's Alexandra Park.

"The problem is not getting him over to Australia but getting him back into New Zealand," Purdon said.

"Originally, we were under the impression the quarantine restrictions would be lifted towards the end of December, enabling us to get back home around Christmas time," he said.

"Now we have been told it will be closer to the end of January before that happens."

Auckland Reactor will instead make his Auckland debut in the Franklin Cup next Friday. He is likely to remain in the north, racing at Alexandra Park and Cambridge until January.

Purdon says he then wants to take the four-year-old back to Auckland for the $600,000 Auckland Cup on March 6.

Auckland Reactor won the New Zealand Free-For-All, downing New Zealand Cup winner Changeover, at Addington last Friday in his first test against older horses in a major race.

He was sold for $4 million to mainly North American interests earlier this year.

Meanwhile, trainer-driver John McCarthy said yesterday a back injury had shattered his hopes of winning the race for a third successive time with Be Good Johnny.

"I had the vet check him this morning and there's no way he can run," McCarthy said. "He has a torn a muscle in his back, and it is quite inflamed."

Be Good Johnny also had to be scratched from the $100,000 Len Smith Mile at Menangle in June because of injury.

It has been a bad week for the NSWHRC.

Australasia's fastest pacer, Smoken Up, was ruled out of the race because of injury on Tuesday.

Newcastle Horse of the Year Special Albert received his invitation to contest the Miracle Mile after winning last Saturday night's Newcastle Mile.

Others who have accepted invitations are three-time Inter-Dominion winner Blacks A Fake, New Zealand Cup winner Changeover and Victorian Legends winner Melpark Major.