70-year-old trainer back in the sulky after hip surgeries

One of the legends of New Zealand racing will make a comeback to the track on Friday night to partner a horse 67 years younger than him.

Hall of Fame harness racing trainer Barry Purdon will have his first race night drive since 2019 when he partners Higher Power in an intermediate trot (Race 4, 7.27pm) at Alexandra Park, the three-year-old trotter set to start an odds-on favourite.

Purdon, who trains Higher Power with Scott Phelan, is one of the all-time greats of either equine code in New Zealand, having won every race that matters as a trainer, while he has driven the winners of Auckland, Hunter and Victoria Cups, Miracle Miles and Inter Dominion Trot Finals.

Perhaps most remarkably his huge honour roll has been compiled even after engaging other drivers, most notably Tony Herlihy or Zachary Butcher, to drive many of his best horses over the last 40 years.

But he was forced from his occasional racenight drives in 2019 by a nagging hip issue which ultimately saw him undergo hip replacement surgery. It was not straight forward.

“We ended up having some complications so I think I have had six operations, although Katrina [wife] tells me it is seven,” says Purdon.

“It was nobody’s fault, I was lucky enough to have an amazing surgeon who was a great guy but when you are dealing with the body, same as in horses, things can go wrong.

“But I am good now and have been back driving quite a lot of track work.”

There is no secret training reason Purdon wants to partner Higher Power tonight even though the young trotter potentially has $800,000 worth of feature races coming up before the end of the year.

“I could get somebody else to drive him but I want to keep my hand in,” says the 70-year-old.

“I am enjoying driving track work and I think being out there on race night gives you a better idea of what is going on and maintains that connection.

“I won’t be driving a lot or even all the time but am looking forward to being back out there. I’m quite excited.”

With no many young drivers having come through the ranks and Purdon having been absent from the Alexandra Park driver’s room for six years, is he worried he might need to find a new locker?

“Funny you should mention that, I was in there the other day and they still have my name on my old locker where I used to sit every week, so I think I will be fine,” he laughs.

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by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand