IT’S official; Nathan Purdon has arrived. 

In some ways that declaration could scarcely be more ludicrous given Purdon - son of Mark, nephew of Barry, and grandson of Roy - is already a Grand Circuit-winning trainer. 

For those who missed it, he achieved that title as a teenager in the winter of 2016 when mentoring Ohoka Punter to glory in the Blacks A Fake at Albion Park. 

But this is different. 

On Saturday night at Melton, Purdon breached an invisible barrier when Spellbound stormed home to claim the Ian Daff Memorial at Group 3 level. 

It wasn’t the young blueblood’s first win in Australia, it was, however, the Kiwi prodigy’s first success since permanently setting up camp on this side of the Tasman earlier this year. 

And its origins reveal plenty about where the kid is heading. 

First, let’s get a little background. 

For those that don’t know, Roy Purdon; Nathan’s grandfather as aforementioned, could comfortably lay claim to being the seminal legend in New Zealand’s rich and prestigious harness racing history. 

Indeed the only obstacles standing in his way are sons Barry and Mark. 

Particularly Mark. 

While thoroughbred racing has Bart Cummings and Colin Hayes, Aidan O’Brien and Bob Baffert, none have been more dominant or influential on their code than Mark Purdon has been on his. 

Imagine being the son of a legend that large. 

Nathan Purdon is. 

Fortunately, and they’ve said this for years, Nathan has inherited all the talent of his father and combined that genetic privilege with the work ethic so synonymous with his surname. 

Still, it took some wise words from Dad to secure this maiden Victorian success. 

The original plan with star mare Spellbound was to trial before racing, but after a trip around Nathan’s new track father Mark suggested she was ready to race. 

And ready she was. 

Despite racing wide early, Spellbound ran the night’s fastest mile and with improvement still to come she looks set for a massive preparation. 

Meanwhile her trainer looks set for a massive, incredible career. 

WHAT motivates the greats? 

As trainers, when you’ve scaled the heights that Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin have in recent years, goals become slimmer as every year passes. 

Even if there’s nothing left to conquer however, you can always outdo yourself; and the champion partnership look well on track to do that with their latest juvenile crop. 

Having already produced a host of exhilarating two-year-olds this term including Irish Black Label and Fiamma the baton was passed to Poster Boy’s brother on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park. 

It’s fair to say he relished the challenge. 

Within a few bounds he led the TAB Sapling Stakes and when the afterburners went on 600m from home he left his rivals breathless, declaring in the process, for now at least, he’s the best baby pacer so far seen this term.