Champion Mark Purdon is unusually excited about this weekend’s racing and not just because of the return of three of his pacing superstars on Friday night.
Purdon and his son/training partner Nathan have Auckland Cup winners Akuta and Self Assured both resuming in the $60,000 Canterbury Classic at Addington, as well as leading three-year-old pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming in the Lazarus Stakes.
That is a lot of equine firepower to be unleashing in just 30 minutes on Friday, but their returns are only one reason Purdon is buzzing about the weekend.
Around 18 hours later, Purdon will have his first thoroughbred starter in a new phase in his career when the aptly-named Captain Roy debuts in an 800m race at Riccarton.
Purdon went shopping at the Karaka thoroughbred sales in January and has four gallopers in work, with Captain Roy, named after his late Hall of Famer father Roy, the most advanced.
“He is a son of Savabeel and doing everything right, so I am excited to get him to the track,” says Purdon.
“He went to Ashburton for a jump-out last week and then jumped out again at Riccarton on Monday.
“Training the gallopers has been a real learning curve for me, but I have enjoyed it, working with a different sort of horse and mixing with some different people.
“Kin Kwo (jockey) has been really helpful and he will ride Captain Roy on Saturday.”
Training thoroughbreds is only a working hobby for Purdon at this stage, but the pressure is on as he shares in the ownership of Captain Roy with his brothers and sisters including fellow training legend Barry Purdon.
Captain Roy will attract a lot less investment than the huge Group 1 winning names Purdon takes to Addington on Friday night and while he is happy with all of them, he warns punters to be careful in both the Canterbury Classic and the Lazarus Stakes.
Akuta has drawn the second line in a capacity field for the Classic over 2600m (standing start) and unless he can squeeze through the pack early, he could be giving fitter rivals like B D Joe and Aardie’s Express a start, while $2.1million earner Self Assured has drawn wide on the front line.
“They both trialed well last week, but these races are hard to win fresh-up,” says Purdon of the two New Zealand Cup favourites.
“If they get the right type of runs they can win, but if they have to work in the middle stages and one of the good horses is in front or in the trail then it becomes a lot harder.”
Purdon says on their work there is very little between Akuta and Self Assured at this stage, but he thinks as the season develops Akuta may improve more being three years younger than Self Assured.
Don’t Stop Dreaming starts his campaign aimed at the Flying Stakes (October 13) and NZ Derby (December 10) in the Lazarus Stakes, and while he is clearly the best horse in the field, there is a lot of speed inside him as he had to draw barrier nine under the preferential conditions.
“I think from that draw we have to be conservative early and try and get home later to win,” Purdon said.
“Preferential draws make it really hard on the best horses when they are returning.”
The stable’s unbeaten filly Millwood Nike returns to the trials tomorrow and could race on Friday week, while last season’s NZ Oaks winner No Matter Wat could be retired to stud soon after reoccurring soreness issues.
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.