Strategic challenges ahead for Purdon

With two horses in two major races Mark Purdon admits to doing a bit of form study ahead of what will no doubt be a huge night of harness racing at Addington on Friday (Oct. 14).

In the Group One Airpark Canterbury Three Year Old Flying Stakes, Akuta (Bettor’s Delight) draws Gate Eight.

After his below par performance last week, Purdon and co-trainer Hayden Cullen think that run will have improved the gelding and hope his tying up problems are well behind him.

“It’ll be a better performance on Friday night than it was last time. We’ve cut his grains down at night and stepped his work up as well,” Purdon said.

The challenge for Purdon though is how to overcome a wide draw.

“With Republican Party on the second line we’ll try and take up a handy position. He hasn’t shown brilliant gate speed, but he’s shown enough to put himself in the first four or five. I think the one horse (Donmaro) will possibility hold up. Our other runner Franco Mac gets off the arm good,” Purdon added.

The Flying Stakes on Friday promises to produce plenty of fireworks, and an opportunity for Mark Purdon to add his name yet again to a trophy that already has his name engraved all over it. 

He’s trained or co-trained horses that have won this race twelve times.  The first being with Sharp And Telford in 1996, with subsequent winners among others, including Smolda (2012), Ultimate Machete (2017), Lazarus (2016) and Auckland Reactor (2008).

Purdon faces another challenge in the NZB Standardbred Harness Million. In a capacity field, the unbeaten Don’t Stop Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) will have to overcome a second line draw.

“He’s got good gate speed, so it would have been good if he was off the front (line). Apart from Barry’s horse (Merlin) the other form runners are also starting off the second row. It’s going to be an interesting race and I think Merlin will be the hardest to beat. In looking at what’s inside of him he’ll be able to work to the front without over taxing him.”

So for Purdon and Don’t Stop Dreaming it’s a matter of seeing what unfolds.

“He’s (Don’t Stop Dreaming) going to have to navigate the traffic to be a winning chance.”

Of the other runners Purdon and Cullen have in the Harness Millions, Purdon rates Vinke B as his second best.

“He would have raced last week, but he was a little bit off colour. We’re happy with the way he trained this morning (Wednesday).”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink