ONE of racing’s most enduring adages solemnly states, for those with short memories, that form is temporary, and class is permanent. 

Typically, this maxim relates to horses; but it’s true for human too. 

And on Saturday night at Albion Park, Mark Purdon, arguably the greatest harness horseman in Australasian history, dramatically reminded all and sundry of his peerless class. 

For those that don’t follow New Zealand trotting with zealotry, Purdon and his partner Natalie Rasmussen have stepped back from full-time equine commitments in recent months. 

Having ascended to a position of dominance never-before seen in southern hemisphere harness racing, Purdon and Rasmussen, utterly exhausted, took their leave of absence. 

Picture courtesy Racing Queensland.

The pragmatics of such a profound decision were always bound to be complex. 

In their native New Zealand one of Purdon’s young disciples, Haydon Cullen, inherited much of Purdon’s preternaturally gifted stock. 

Soon after his sabbatical was announced, however, Purdon’s softly spoken but uniquely talented son, Nathan, established a brand-new barn in Victoria and he also received a few of his father’s former chargers. 

The moment Nathan set up camp it was inevitable he and his doyen dad would join forces for feature race glory at some juncture.

But few could have foreseen how rapidly that dream would become reality. 

Or how breathtakingly brilliant Mark’s winning drive would be. 

All discussion surrounding The Rising Sun, a newly inaugurated Group 1 for three and four-year-old pacers, centred on the battle between New Zealand’s best classic-age pacer Krug and Australia’s top four-year-old Expensive Ego. 

Sadly, most pundits all but forgot Australasia’s best mare, Amazing Dream. 

And Australasia’s pre-eminent big-race maestro Mark Purdon. 

After somehow finding the leader’s back soon after release, Purdon employed the pensive patience for which he has become famous before extricating to claim the $250,000 feature with the mare he once trained. 

Class is permanent, form is temporary; so too, it appears, is Mark Purdon’s escape from elite competition. 


RACE meetings are resilient beasts. 

Despite Australia hosting one of the world’s harshest natural environments precious few programmes of any racing code are postponed or abandoned. 

In searing heat or through terrifying tempests, jockeys, drivers, trainers, handlers and racing animals themselves endure. 

That is, unless there’s fog. 

From the moment Cranbourne’s Saturday night meeting got underway the low-lying cloud which enveloped its 946m circuit was ominous.

But by race three, a photo finish which caused overwhelming confusion due to painfully poor visibility spelled disaster for the card. 

Having promoted their first Saturday night card since Cup night so well it was a crying shame for Cranbourne but, in racing, safety and integrity always comes first. 

The Preux Chevalier Free For All has been transferred to Geelong’s meeting this Saturday night. 


The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.