Max back

After a couple of ordinary runs, the Michael Purdon trained Mystic Max (Village Mystic) bounced back into winning form when he won the South Bay Trotters Cup today at the coastal harness racing track at Kaikoura.

“It’s not the horse’s ability, it’s more me as a trainer learning how to train a free for all horse. Hopefully I’ve got him on the right track now,” Purdon said after the run.

The four year old trotter began well and was handy for the first part of the race. Racing down the seaside part of the track driver Blair Orange took Mystic Max to the top before handing up to favourite Aardiebythehill (What The Hill).

“I was rapt to see him step so well. I thought Blair was going to lead up but when Aardiebythehill came round I thought ‘even better’ (laughter).”

Turning in, Aardiebythehill and Harold Smith looked to be fighting out the finish with Orange keeping a tight rein on Mystic Max.

But he let down nicely at the end, to win by a neck from Harold Smith (Andover Hall) with Aardiebythehill three quarters of a length back in third.

MYSTIC MAX REPLAY

“There were a couple of hairy moments in the last furlong and I nearly lost him a couple of times. I just went for him late. I’m really happy for Michael. He had a few problems and he’s got on top of them. He’s always had the engine, it’s just been about getting the ringcraft sorted,” Orange said.

It was Purdon’s seventeenth training win in his short career and his fourth black type win.

“It does give me confidence but Muscle Mountain (Muscle Hill) and Bolt For Brillance (Muscle Hill) are still the benchmark. But hopefully it’s a stepping stone to get a bit closer to them. It is a bit of a transition period for him and he should be better for it next year.”

Purdon has earmarked a race on Cup Day for Mystic Max before tackling the Dominion on Show Day.

“It’s a 2000 metre stand and he is a horse that gets quite fat quickly, so I think he’ll do well on the quick backup.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink