Drought over as international flavour beckons

Mark Purdon is coming back to Victoria.

It is more than two years since Purdon has campaigned any horses himself in Australia. Sure, he’s sent a few across, but to have the legend back on Aussie soil training some of his best for our big races will be awesome.

The last time that happened was Self Assured’s (Bettor’s Delight) Chariots Of Fire trip way back in early 2020. Prior to that, the then budding star ran second placings in the Ballarat Cup and 4YO Bonanza in Victoria.

“I’ll be bringing a few younger horses over,” Purdon said. “I haven’t finalised exactly who and when yet, but it’ll happen.

“There are some good races here around the same time, but rather than race them against each other here, I’ll split them and send a couple to Victoria.”

The Breeders Crown is the target for two, three, maybe even four of Purdon’s young stars.

And, super excitingly, the buzz pacer of his barn Akuta (Bettor’s Delight) could be one of them.

The three-year-old has been nominated for the famed NZ Cup at Addington, but it’s far more likely he will stick to racing his own age and cross the Tasman for the Breeders Crown.

Maybe we could even see him at the Victoria Derby before that?

Akuta would be a stunning addition to the Derby and/or Breeders Crown.

He’s won eight of his 11 starts and looks genuinely freakish. Everything says he’s the next megastar from the All Stars’ barn.

But we know Australia’s three-year-old crop is strong, very strong.

We’ve got the untapped Catch A Wave (Captaintreacherous) in our own backyard.

And then there’s the Queensland-based NSW Derby winner Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight). The horse money can’t buy.

Imagine the three of them locking horns. Yes, yes, yes please!

“There are a couple of three-year-olds and a few two-year-olds who are possible at this stage,” Purdon said.

“I’ve just had a bit of a break up in Auckland and will get serious about looking at dates and planning when I get back home.”

And what about his current stable star and NZ’s best pacer Self Assured for the Inter Dominion?

I mean, Victoria’s Jean Feiss owns Self Assured.

“It’s too early to say. I haven’t thought that far ahead with him yet,” Purdon said.

“The NZ Cup is the target, of course. That’s as far ahead as we’ve planned.”

Unlike some other key trainers, Purdon isn’t too fazed by the significant amount of travel involved in this year’s Victorian Inter Dominion with heats at Ballarat (November 26), Shepparton (November 29) and Geelong (December 3) in that order, before the final at Melton on December 10.

“That doesn’t worry me too much,” he said. “I’d be based at Geelong (Lara actually with son Nathan). It’s only an hour or so from there to Ballarat, Shepparton is a few hours I guess and then Geelong and Melton are close by.”

by Adam Hamilton, for HRV