 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2014
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
MARK PURDON - ADORE ME 2014
Adore Me's assault on the Cup was one of those long term plans which 'came together nicely'.
The talking point was when Mark hooked the mare four wide at the 600m when trailing three wide. Yes, some Cup winners have launched wide from there but not many. It seemed a big ask on a breakneck pace (last 800m 55.5)
Actually it was the winning of an exciting race. At the home turn when Franco Nelson had to wait for the lane behind Terror To Love, Adore Me was out and pumping and she just lasted from the latter in a tight finish.
Mark later rated it an obvious move. Adore Me had done little extra work in the run unlike others and he didn't want to give Terror To Love too much of a start in the run home. Maybe but it was one of those snap decisions which win Cups and also helps make them memorable.
TRIVIA FACT: Mark Purdon's Cup luck did not begin well. In his first drive behind Tax Credit in 1988 he broke at the start and finished last. When they came out and won the mobile Free-For-All at long odds, well. there have been more popular wins at Addington.
Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Oct 2016