Akuta puts NZ Cup campaign back on track with G1 victory

Heading into Friday night’s (Oct 14.) three-year-old $100,000 Group One harness racing feature at Addington Raceway, the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen-trained Akuta (Bettor’s Delight), was out for redemption.

I doubt any journalist has ever written about a three-year-old looking to get his New Zealand Cup campaign back on track via a feature against his own age group, but that is exactly what Akuta was looking to achieve with an improved showing in the Vero Flying Stakes.

After a fourth-place finish at his last start in the Lazarus Stakes a fortnight earlier, the All-Stars camp were forced to do some soul searching when void of answers in the immediate aftermath of a disappointing run where Akuta had failed to make any headway on his age group contemporaries, despite a cushy trip in transit.

When Harnesslink’s New Zealand correspondent, Bruce Stewart, caught up with Mark Purdon a week earlier, he had indicated that bloods were taken and returned all clear, putting the lackluster effort down to his champion three-year-old having done too well in between runs on the lush spring Canterbury grass on offer.

As a consequence, the All-Star’s camp upped Akuta’s work and reduced his feed leading into last night’s assignment. And as we have come to expect from the most dominant stable of the last decade, they bounced back from any disappointment in emphatic fashion with a crushing Group One victory.

Speaking with Bruce Stewart post-race, Purdon seemed confident of an improved showing from the minute he stepped on the track.

“He was great in the warmup, he just bowled round and was pretty laid back, and that’s the great thing about him, I think,” he said.

Having to navigate a tricky draw in barrier eight, Purdon did have the advantage of being drawn the front line while the winner of the Lazarus Stakes, Republican Party (Bettor’s Delight) and Blair Orange were drawn awkwardly in the one the second the line.

The world champion reinsman took full advantage and set his charge alight, showing dazzling gate speed which had been kept in reserve since almost galloping behind the mobile at Cambridge in the 2YO Emerald.

“I’ve never really asked him to come off the gate perhaps other than the jewels where he got a bit rocky in his gait.

“I thought with Democrat Party drawn one the second line that we would want to be ahead of him, and I’ve never really asked him for that sort of effort, but I thought he’s an older horse now and he should be able to handle it and he did,” said Purdon.

The sharp eye of Stewart noted a gear change may have helped with coming off the gate and Purdon agreed with the assessment.

“We thought it would be the safer option just to go with the hopple shorteners and there was a little bit of top on the track too, so I think it helped him,” he said.

Despite having a very capable stablemate on his back in Franco Mac (Bettor’s Delight) and the winner of nine in Republican Party at his wheel, Purdon and Akuta rattled off an impressive 1:54.7-mile rate for the 1980m journey, leaving the opposition in his wake up the Addington straight.

“Getting home in 54.1 was a stylish last half. We will head to Ashburton now and see how we go before making any firm decisions,” he said.

AKUTA REPLAY

Akuta’s win saw him firm once again in the New Zealand Trotting Cup market, back to an equal third favourite at $9 having drifted out to as much as $11 after his last start failure.

The win of Akuta in the eighth on the card brought up the fourth winner on the night for the All-Stars camp having kicked the night off with an early race to race double thanks to wins from talented three-year-old trotter, Paramount Empress (Muscle Hill) and impressive juvenile Sherlock (Vincent) who cleared maidens at start three.

Purdon also partnered the superstar two-year-old filly, Millwood Nike (Captaintreachrous), to an emphatic two length victory in the rich $150,000 Harness Millions final for two-year-old fillies.

The victory kept the unbeaten streak of Milwood Nike intact at five wins from five starts, with a much-improved showing from stablemate Luvstruck (Bettor’s Delight) who loomed up in the straight and finished two lengths behind in second after being able to outsprint Purdon’s charge.

MILLWOOD NIKE REPLAY

For complete Addington Raceway results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink