 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2011
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Part-owner Hazel van Opzeeland & Blair Orange |
Two of Mark Purdon's pacing stars could be bound for careers in Australia next season. That was Purdon's feeling after Highview Tommy bounced back to winning form in the Inter-Dominion Consolation last Friday night.
The stallion made the most of a perfect drive from Blair Orange to round up hot favourite Captain Joy then hold out Raglan in the $44,750 event. It was his first real show of form during his northern campaign, and Purdon thinks an increased workload last week may have aided the former Harness Jewels winner. "He had been working well at home but disappointing on race night," said Purdon. "I was wondering whether, being a stallion and a bit older now, I had been a bit too kind to him so I really stepped up his work last week. The fact he won didn't surprise me because he had felt good."
Purdon says like a lot of older stallions, Highview Tommy may have become cunning and know what races he can and can't win. "The other night he would have got to the top of the straight and been feeling good and he tried, whereas sometimes in races recently he probably couldn't win at the same stage and didn't put in. That sometimes happens with stallions, and that is one reason I think he might be better suited in Australia next season. He might have better racing opportunities there, but I don't think his owners would ever sell him."
Purdon says Australia is the most likely home for Auckland Reactor next season since the star is not suited by the standing start racing which prevails in New Zealand pre-Christmas. "I think we have to look at the big races in Australia and it will be up to his owners to decide how they, or we, go about that."
Credit: Michael Guerin writing in HRWeekly 13Apr2011