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NZ Tonight: Barry’s “honest” pair well placed to turn tables in Sires

The northern stablemates most likely to test the favourites in tonight’s $150,000 Sires’ Stakes Final are drawn to suit their strengths in the Group 1.

And while senior training partner Barry Purdon knows it won’t be easy to upset the Hayden Cullen-trained pair, who dominated the similar Harness Millions last Friday, his pair will make life harder for them.

Akuta and Cosmic Major were clearly too good in the Harness Millions, but Purdon and Scott Phelan’s Major Perry (third) and Montana D J both went big races.

Major Perry was a fighting third while Montana D J only faded late to sixth after sitting parked.

“I was happy with both of them and I think they will be better this week, particularly Montana D J,” says Purdon.

“He has come through the race really well and he is drawn inside the favourites this week.”

Purdon suggests that could see Montana D J head forward and potentially even lead and that will suit his racing style.

“I think he is the stronger of our pair at this stage and if he can lead he will take some getting past.

“I know the two who finished one-two last week were very good but so was this horse sitting parked.”

Major Perry has beaten Montana D J home in their last two clashes, both times by sitting on his back, and his slightly wide draw tonight suggest he will be driven as a swooper again.

“He is quick and if he can get the right run he will test them too.”

Taking their draws into account Montana D J’s $3.50 place odds look especially juicy tonight.

Akuta opened favourite for tonight’s race but the money quickly came from Cosmic Major and he too looks set to head forward at the start, but whether he can wrest the lead will be crucial to those taking the short odds.

Akuta will have Natalie Rasmussen replacing last week’s driver Blair Orange and his connections will be hoping for a hot speed early.

If that happens Akuta can work his way into the race at the 1000m mark he might still be the horse to beat and, even if the tempo is moderate, he should be able to secure the parked position.

But that early tempo might determine how much speed the leaders have left in their legs to fight him off.

The Purdon/Phelan stable also have Son Of Patrick in the Harness Millions Three-Year-Old Trot tonight and after brave performances in both Trotting Derbys he finds himself in a race without the Derby quinellamates Five Wise Men and Time Up The Hill against him.

“He is always a good chance because he is so honest and he will be hard again,” says Purdon.


FRESH from the best night of his rapidly-ascending career trainer Hayden Cullen has confirmed what many harness fans have suspected: Bettor Twist is getting better.

The outstanding filly is set to start a hot favourite in tonight $150,000 The Breeders NZ Oaks at Addington after her dominant win in the Nevele R Fillies Final there last Friday, a meeting at which Cullen trained five winners.

“It was pretty special and a night we won’t forget in a while,” says Cullen of his fiver.

Bettor Twist meets almost the same field tonight and last Friday but from what should prove to be a better draw (five) than her second line starting position last week and the 2600m looks perfect for her.

That all adds up to potentially her fifth career Group 1 tonight and, being a half-sister to King Of Swing, pushing her even closer to becoming the most valuable female pacer in New Zealand if not Australasia.

As good as she has been in the early and mid stages of this unusual season, Bettor Twist has looked even more dominant in her latest two wins in which she has savaged the line and looked keener in the running.

Trainer Cullen says that hasn’t just been at the races.

“She has definitely improved and sharpened up mentally,” says Cullen.

“We all know what a good filly she is but she was being a bit laid back at home.

“So we have asked more of her, working her harder, and she has really responded.

“She is sharper all around and Natalie (Rasmussen) has been doing a bit of work with her and she is very good as getting them concentrating.”

Even on her form of a few months ago Bettor Twist would be the filly to beat in tonight’s classic but the new, more aggressive her makes her near impossible to bet against.

While she has the advantage of having a front line draw that should eventually see Bettor Twist in front tonight, many of the other favourites are also drawn the front and that could see some fireworks early as the jostle for positions that could see them trail or three back on the markers.

That has long been the place to be in Oaks and Derby races in this country, covering no extra ground over one of the rare staying trips for the three-year-old crop.

With their draws and gate speed Bettor Talk Art (barrier one) and Darling Me (two) look the most likely to work their way to the peg line first and have that tactical advantage, but the drivers of both Off N Gone and La Rosa may be tempted to roll the dice early thinking the same thing.

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Tim O’Connor was joined by James Herbertson and Andy Gath on this week’s Friday Form Panel before form experts Brett Carroll and Darren Carroll stepped in to work through the nine races and unveil their $900 game plans.

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