Akuta sensational in Hannon Memorial

Akuta (Bettor’s Delight), the reigning New Zealand two-year-old of the year, and his co-trainer Mark Purdon made a big statement when taking out the time-honoured Hannon Memorial on Sunday afternoon (Sep. 18) in Oamaru.

While the 2600m journey was a sedate affair (3:20.1) and the second slowest Hannon since 2005, the manner in which in Akuta was able to get the job done fresh up was breathtaking.

The three-year-old drifted slightly in the market close to start time, suggesting there were punters around the country with a few questions they’d like answered before announcing, or denouncing his arrival as an Open Class star.

Akuta answered their questions in emphatic style, getting outside the wheel of Pembrook Playboy with a circuit to go and grinding him into the dust halfway down the straight.

Akuta then had to withstand a spirited challenge from Alta Wiseguy who enjoyed the run of the race from the trail, but not even the race fit Stonewall Stud speedster could master Akuta up the lane. The last half was run in a sharp 55.5 while the mile rate of 2:03.8 reflected the walk and sprint nature of the race.

Alta Wiseguy and Tim Williams got within a half head of the champion juvenile Akuta, with a further one and a half lengths back to Pembrook Playboy and Nathan Williamson in third.

AKUTA | HANNON MEMORIAL REPLAY

Mark Purdon was all the smiles after the race having stated earlier in the week, he felt his star pacer could be lacking in conditioning.

“He proved last year he was the best three-year-old and he’s come up really good,” said Mark Purdon talking to Nigel Armstrong of Harness Racing Unhinged after the race.

“He’s benefitted from the change to the season and the long break and has furnished into a lovely horse. He’s such a beautiful horse and I think that’s where he won the race, being able to put himself right up to the leaders without taking anything out of himself. He just cruised down the back and only went when I asked him to go, and he responded well.

“He is the perfect racehorse, he’s just so kind and responsive and unless you ask him to go, he will just relax and is a beautiful horse to drive,” he said.

Akuta entered the Hannon Memorial as the second favourite for the New Zealand cup behind his superstar stablemate Self Assured. Give his age and lack of exposure to the grand circuit like his peers, he was ranked 20th in the first release of HRNZ road to the cup rankings meaning he will have to earn his place in our greatest race.

Despite the impressive performance, Purdon was still non-committal as to whether Akuta will be aimed at the New Zealand Cup.

“I’m not going to make a quick decision, weel see how he comes through the racing. It’s not going to be easy racing at this level. There’s a little bit of time up our sleeve and we will just see how he handles it,” he said.

Purdon was full of praise for his co-owner, Ian Dobson, a man who is no stranger either to winning on the second Tuesday in November having won the Cup with both Christian Cullen and Mainland Banner. If Akuta is aimed at the great race, Dobson could find himself in a position of being a leading chance of the features in both gaits should Muscle Mountain line up in the NZ Trotting FFA on the same day.

“(Ian) is a wonderful person and he’s been wonderful for the industry, it couldn’t have worked out better with him taking a share and has made for a great story,” he said.

Alta Wiseguy did his reputation no harm stepping brilliantly once more and putting himself in position to enjoy the cold shot at both Akuta and Pembrook Playboy, with the latter also behaving well at the start and likely to strip a much-improved horse for the run.

Last year’s champion three-year-old, Krug, was solid in the run home after working hard to catch the bunch having missed away by several lengths from the stand.

Blair Orange got him onto the back of Akuta with a lap to go and he ran home well and was only beaten into fifth late by a fast-finishing Macandrew Aviator, who made up huge ground from the rear of the field.

The Open Class attention will now turn to the North Island where the Spring Cup is to be held this Friday night (23. Sep) at Alexandra Park with the Canterbury Classic a week later (30. Sep) at Addington Raceway.

The full arsenal of Purdon’s brilliance as a horseman was on display with the master trainer steering home five of the six runners, he drove at Oamaru this afternoon.

He didn’t just reign home his own All Stars runners either.

Cyrus (Race 5) and Queen of Diamonds (Nevele R Fillies Heat, Race 6) joined Akuta in a winning treble for the Cullen/Purdon team, with Purdon also winning with outside drives on the trotting mares Streaming Live (Race 4) and I Dream Of Jeanie in the Group Three Jasmyn’s Gift, capping a remarkable day in the cart.

For complete race results of Hannon Memorial Day, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink