High Energy covers the world to capture G1 glory

High Energy (Father Patrick) may well have just put in the performance of the New Zealand harness racing season with an otherworldly win in the inaugural $100,000 G1 Ace of Hearts on Grand Prix Day at Addington Raceway this afternoon (Dec. 4).

The Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen trained filly was unbeaten heading into today’s G1 feature for 2YO trotting fillies and had to draw on every inch of her championship qualities to join her dam, High Gait, as a G1 winning juvenile.

Absolutely nothing went to script for Mark Purdon aboard the $1.30 favourite, who, with 800m to run, was 15 lengths off the leader and second favourite, Kiss And Run (What The Hill) and John Dunn.

Trapped on the back of the well-traveled Alan Clark-trained runner, High Energy was on a train to nowhere and, instead of improving three wide, found herself being carted back towards the tail of the field with a little over 1000m to run.

Once in the back straight, Purdon took matters into his own hands and sent the blue blooded Breckon bred on a searching run, with mid race drone footage highlighting the dramatic scenes that were unfolding before our eyes.

High Energy eventually found some respite as she reached the 400m taking cover on the back of the Paul Nairn trained The Ivy League (Father Patrick). However, with Kiss And Run getting away with murder in front and Shez Bella pushing the envelope outside her, winning still seemed a forlorn prospect for the odds-on favourite.

Presented in the straight, High energy went into overdrive and with a cheeky look over his shoulder 100m from home, Purdon tucked the whip away and jogged to a comprehensive win.

HIGH ENERGY REPLAY

“Full credit to the horse there,” said Mark Purdon.

“I was in a really awkward position and down the back when I made a run, I thought she could end up four and five wide. I was lucky to sneak on to the back of Blair (Orange) and his runner to give her some cover from the 600m until we got round the corner.

“Round the corner I could just feel her get on the steel and she felt strong, and I thought she was going to be too good with the feel she gave me.

“Ken and Karen send us two fillies every year and we have done really well; we had a lot of success for them, and we enjoy the success we have been lucky enough to share in. They are great people who put a lot into the industry and the deserve results like they have gotten today with this filly,” he said.

The Price Bloodstock owned The Ivy League (Father Patrick) ran on solidly to finish into second place two and a half lengths behind the winner, with Rogerson/Ferguson trained Shez Bella (Pegasus Spur) holding on gamely for a G1 placing in third after working hard throughout the 1980m journey.

The winning time for High Energy was 2:26.0 shaving a whopping 2.4 seconds off the NZ record for 2YO trotting fillies over the 1980m journey.

Given she was never closer than three cart widths off the pegs for the entire journey, it beggars belief how much she could have won by had she received a kinder run.

Father Patrick didn’t have to wait long for his second New Zealand G1 credit and had the added satisfaction of siring the quinella to boot.

For complete Grand Prix Day results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink