Mark and Nathan – Big guns report

Expect harness racing’s new training partnership of Mark and Nathan Purdon to have most of their stable hot shots out in public or back in work this month and some new ‘babies’ at the trials preparing for two year old races in April.

Four year old mare No Matter Wat (A Rocknroll Dance) is close to returning to the racetrack. At the end of her last campaign she was an upset winner of the Group One New Zealand Oaks.

“She’s on the way back. She had a setback with one of her back legs but that’s fine now. She probably would have been in the $100,000 race last week but the injury just set her back. She’s probably another couple of weeks away yet,” Mark said.

Self Assured (Bettor’s Delight) and Akuta (Bettor’s Delight) are both in Auckland preparing to begin their new season with the $30,000 Group Three Founders Cup on the 10th March.

“They’re about two weeks away fom the trials. Akuta’s great. He had a break after the Derby and he’s come back full of himself.”

Quality trotting filly High Energy (Father Patrick) was unbeaten in five starts last season. She has some May assignments on her programme.

“She’s back in now after having six weeks off. We’ve got the Northern Trotting Oaks in early May and the Northern Trotting Derby at the end of May. She looks a picture. It was nice to give her the time out and she’s filled out and developed. She had her first fast work run last Saturday and she trotted great. After the races in May she can have another break before racing.”

Don’t Stop Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) is back in work. He won six of his seven starts last season as a two year old including the Group One Sires Stakes Final and The Ace of Spades.

“He’s had about six weeks off and he’ll prepare for the Sires Stakes racing in May. Like High Energy he’ll have a break before racing again in the spring.”  

Mark and Nathan have about twelve two year olds currently in work with two fillies, Treacherous Baby (Captaintreacherous-O Baby) and Eyeliner (Lazarus – That’s Hunting Pink) being the most forward of the pacers. 

EYELINER WINNING HER TRIAL ON TUESDAY

“Most will trial in March and get ready for races like the Kindergarten.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink