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2008 WOODLANDS NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

Look out Australia, he is on his way! Auckland Reactor flies out next Monday bound for Sydney and the Miracle Mile on November 28.

The Mach Three entire was simply sensational in the $300,000 Woodlands NZ Free-For-All at Addington on Show Day, and afterwards co-trainer/driver Mark Purdon confirmed that the next target with the unbeaten freak is a raid across the Tasman. Harold Park officials visited All Stars Stables this time last week to issue an invitation to Auckland Reactor's connections, and although he accepted, Purdon still wanted him to "perform" a couple of days later.

And that he did, dishing out a hiding to the Cup winner Changeover and six other hapless rivals as his unrelenting rampage continued. Purdon elected to stay out of the early rush for positions in the Free-For-All, tactics which he decided upon as late as the morning of the event. "My first intention was to go out, but I didn't realise that Monkey King and Baileys Dream had been scratched until I arrived on-course, and that changed the complexion of the race," he said. "After that my main focus was to keep him off the fence, and things pretty much panned out like I had envisaged they would."

With Changeover bowling along in front, Purdon wanted Auckland Reactor up outside him as the 800m peg loomed. The two stallions matched motors down the back, that next quarter zipping by in a lightning 26.6, and then turning for home Purdon asked Auckland Reactor to stretch out. Feeling the whip for the first time since the Sires' Stakes Final a year earlier, the great horse found energy reserves that others couldn't and actually pulled away near the finish, winning by nearly two lengths.

Auckland Reactor stopped the clock at an amazing 2:21.8 for the 2000m speed test, a 1:54 mile rate, and considering the overall time it was simply stunning that he had been able to produce a final quarter of 27.8 into the teeth of a strong Easterly wind. Auckland Reactor had already claimed the quickest last half on record at Addington three days earlier when he coasted to a 54.8 split in front; this time he was parked outside the Cup winner, but lowered it again by nearly a full half-second.

So did it feel like they were going that fast? "It never does with him," said Purdon, who is in awe of the pacer himself. "I reckon if that race had been run on Cup Day, he'd have probably gone a second and a half quicker." Purdon also gave a rarely seen flourish as he crossed the line...it was a signal of satisfaction for a mission accomplished, because he admits that there is always a bit of pressure to be felt with a horse that carries so much of the public's money.

So now Australia beckons, and Purdon will travel north by road with the champ this Saturday and accompany him on his journey across the Tasman. "It is a bit of a shame that the Miracle Mile's not being run at Menangle, because that's a track he would have really loved. But around Harold Park it is a races that is pretty much decided by the draw, so we will just keep our fingers crossed for a favourable marble," he said, adding that he would like to draw "one to four."

Purdon is no stranger to the Miracle Mile arena, having run an unlucky fourth with Young Rufus and seconds behind Il Vicolo(twice) and Jack Cade. Auckland Reactor's just that little bit more special than all them, though. "They never ran the sort of times that he seems to be able to, week after week," he said. "I mean, when he went 3:09 in the Derby - that was unheard of. It's like he is ahead of his time."

And he says there is a combination of factors that make Auckland Reactor the horse he is. "Number one is his will to win. Plus he has got a great temperament and gait, he just glides along. It's like driving a BMW. He is the perfect gentleman around home, too. Like any stallion, he'll let out a squeal every now and then, but the only time you really hear from him is feed-up time."

After the Miracle Mile, Auckland Reactor will tackle the Victoria Cup on December 20 and then Purdon says he would like to get him home again. "We will just evaluate thigs as we go after that, I don't think we have to start making any other plans at this stage. But it is exciting to be going over there with him. The Miracle Mile's on of the few races that has eluded us so far...that, and a Dominion," he smiled. Fans of Stig, rest easy. Auckland Reactor might be able to do a lot of things, but he can't trot.

-o0o-

Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 19Nov08

I wasn't around when bikes and buses brought huge crowds to see Harold Logan at Addington Raceway, though some think I was, nor when Johnny Globe was in demand. They were the halcyon days for racing when the competition for entertainment was not what it is today.

There have been good numbers watching other great horses since then, but times have changed; there are no turnstiles, no queues, it needs more than just a great horse to make the appeal great horses once did. Salvation is at hand - because now we have one. Auckland Reactor. 'Mac' to those who know him best.

Those who feared the winning bubble would burst whe Auckland Reactor took on the all-round game of Changeover in the Woodlands NZ Free-For-All at Addington on Show Day were devastatingly wrong. Auckland Reactor handled the older horses, in fact toyed with them, as he hoisted a new time for the distance. His time of 2:21.8 surpassed the old record held by Waipawa Lad by 0.2 sec.

Auckland Reactor gave notice to the heights he was heading when he demolished the Sires' Stakes Final at Addington at the Cup Meeting a year ago. It's been a steady sure-footed climb since, and topped superbly by what he did to Awesome Armbro and Changeover and five others on a hot, blustery Show Day afternoon. Fortunately there were a goodly number of others there to see it. The stands were near to full, there was a buzz of anticipation before the race, and the noise built to a deafening level near the 200 metres when Mark Purdon asked him questions he had never been asked before. The plugs were out and the whip was used, and Auckland Reactor put on full power to pull away.

There was a rush to the fence to see him back by those wanting to check the width of Purdon's smile. They knew the occasion was special, perhaps in the knowledge they had not seen one as good, and probably won't again. Auckland Reactor caps were thrown into the crowd - 200 of them - and you had to be lucky to get one, and most were not.

Watching it all was New Zealand manager John Curtin, a five percent owner of the horse who had not been to Addington since Golden Reign's win in the 1995 Inter-Dominion Grand Final. "I didn't think we had a show early on, but this is not a normal horse. I had goosebumps, and it wasn't because of the weather. Doing what he did at his first time against the best shows he is something special; it's scary - there's an 'X factor' about him. Maybe Mark didn't know how good he is - maybe he knew - we all know now."

Curtin said he was "in awe" of the operation at the Purdon and Payne stables. "I thought there would be horses everywhere, and people rushing about, but it's not like that. Everything is so relaxed. It's wonderful for New Zealand. If you were a horse, it is the only place you would want to be." Curtin is much-travelled and can speak with authority on worldwide aspects of harness racing. "There is not a barn in North America that would compare with what they have," he said.

The programme for Auckland Reactor is now settled, in the meantime, at least, and no-one's looking any further than that. "He will go to the Miracle Mile and then the Victoria Cup," said Curtin. "Mark will make a decision after that. The people who own him are wonderful and they are right behind whatever Mark does. It's my impression that he won't be going to America until the year after next, and Mark will go right through with him, wherever it is."

Curtin said Purdon was with him when they saw American star Somebeachsomewhere - also by Mach Three - get beaten for the first time. "They all get beaten, but to me, this was his greatest triumph," he said.

For Auckland Reactor, the next big crowds will be in Australia, and perhaps they will come to see him in the same numbers as what they have done here. They will miss something very special if they don't.




Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 19Nov08

2008 FIRESTONE - SOUTHERN DEMOLITION & SALVAGE LTD FREE-FOR-ALL

As a race it wasn't much of a spectacle. In fact for Auckland Reactor, Tuesday's $50,000 Firestone - Southern Demolition & Salvage Ltd FFA was no more than a light workout and one of the co-sponsors provided for an appropriate analogy. But the big crowd gave the unbeaten superstar a rousing reception anyway, and now the harness racing world awaits a 'clash of titans' in Friday's $300,000 Woodlands New Zealand Free-For-All.

That will be Auckland Reactor's first true test against older horses outside his own age group, but Mark Purdon has no doubt he is up to them. There have been the usual doubters that the son of Mach Three could take the step up from 3-year-old racing and improve enough to take on and beat the best older horses in the land as a 4-year-old. Purdon has not been one of them, and the form on Tuesday of Fiery Falcon, last season's second best 3-year-old, was a pretty good indicator. Another was the way he went to the line in last week's Cup Trial at Addington after working up to sit outside Monkey King and Changeover from the half as they sped home in 26.3.

This was the first time Auckland Reactor has been beaten anywhere in his career, but there is no money or glory in trials. Whether Auckland Reactor wins on Friday will have a bit to do with where he draws and just who does or doesn't back up from the Cup, but just safely through that engagement, he is almost certainly heading for the Miracle Mile later this month and staying for the Victoria Cup on December 20. "The (NSW) club rang me recently to see if I was interested in going, because someone had told them I wasn't," said Purdon. "But we would have to seriously consider it if he comes through the FFA okay. The only real problem with it is he can't get home again until the end of December, so we might as well take in the Victoria Cup as well," he added.

Much of the future from that point - getting home - will depend on what has gone on in the recent past, but one thing Auckland Reactor won't be doing is both the Auckland Cup and the Inter-Dominions. On Tuesday, Purdon was unaware that the proposed $1m World Cup at Menangle had been called off - if it ever even got off the ground that is - but there are nice 4-year-old races in Auckland such as the Taylor Mile and Messenger to compliment the earlier Auckland Cup. Beyond that, America is beckoning probably as much as Australia.

Auckland Reactor is owned by a small syndicate which includes Peter Heffering of Tara Hills Stud in Ontario and Jerry Silva one of the big owners in North America, and if he is to one day have prospects as a shuttle sire, he needs to prove himself as a racehorse in America. Such a mission is viewed by Purdon not so much as a challenge, but an ambition, and an Auckland Reactor at the height of his career is just the horse to achieve it. It will also be remembered that it was Purdon who was not adverse to trekking halfway around the world to take on the best trotters in Europe with Pride Of Petite in the Elitlopp back in the mid-90s.

Auckland Reactor sped out and sped home "on his own" to win on Tuesday in a 'pedestrian' 1.58 mile rate. "He went out of the gate on his own and he finished as he liked - he felt so good I didn't even have to worry about pulling the ear plugs." The half and quarter went by in dazzling sectionals of 54.8 and 26.3, but this was Auckland Reactor still in second gear. He won easing down by a flattering length and a quarter from Presido, who chased him around to show some sort of form, but he hasn't won a good-class race since Kaikoura three years ago. Good mares Artishake, Time To Fly and Letitia Franco had another good race among themselves further afield, but all eyes were on 'the unbeaten one'.

So far so good - now there are just the expectations to maintain.



Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 13Nov08

2008 CHRISTIAN CULLEN NZ DERBY

In any other year, Georgetown would be hailed for his great victory in the NZ Derby. In any other year, he'd have a NZ record to show for it as well. But he's done neither, and this is not any other year.

This is 2008 - a bad year for good 3-year-olds. And Georgetown is a very good 3-year-old. He's not alone. Fiery Falcon, Absolute Magic, Mattnamara's Band, Justa Tiger, Passion N Glory and Goldie Blue also broke Holmes D G's 3:11.1 record in the $200,000 Christian Cullen NZ Derby, running the 2600m mobile in 3:11 or better. It was not good enough.

The winner won by three lengths and ran 3:09.4. He ran his last 800 metres in 55.8. His mile rate was 1:57.2. That's Auckland Reactor for you. Ten straight wins - the Southern Supremacy Stakes Final shaping as another scalp on April 26, and the Harness Jewels a month later. Again, Auckland Reactor raised the bar too high. He didn't lead as he did in the Flying Stakes the week before, he didn't come from last as he did when he won the Sires' Stakes in November. This was another dimension; no rush out of the gate, instead eased by Mark Purdon to a settling spot near the back. At the 1600m, he set off three wide, joining Georgetown at the 1250m, then taking over a lap out. He looked strong; Purdon said he felt it.

Full credit to Georgetown. Maybe still down a notch on his fitness, he tried hard to stay with Auckland Reactor when Purdon called for more at the top of the straight. But the quarry was off and gone, and as he ended with another hard-running quarter, the only unknown factors awaiting answers were time and margin. Barron knew he was part of both, running along at a bustling speed for the first lap, then being best of the chasers at the end of the second. "I don't know if one more race would have made any difference to my horse. He was four kgs below my goal weight for him. Maybe if he was there, I might have tried to park Mark, but basically we were running for second," he said. "We were travelling well until the 400 metres. Auckland Reactor put three lengths on us at the corner, and we couldn't get it back, though it didn't get any more." With stablemate Mattnamaras Band running home as well as Absolute Magic, Barron is now considering the New South Wales Derby on Anzac Day for both horses.

By Mach Three, Auckland Reactor is raced by his breeders, Auckland vet Tony Parker and his wife Anne, who bred him from the Soky's Atom mare Atomic Lass. He is her 11th foal. The Parkers finished second with Hunka Hickling in the Derby Stars And Stripes won, and second with Sharp And Telford, who was kicked by his stablemate and eventual winner The Court Owl the day before the race. They have many hopes waiting in the wings, with foals this season by Bettor's Delight, McArdle, Artesian, Live Or Die, and Dream Away, plus yearlings by Mach Three, Continentalman, Badlands Hanover, Earl, Grinfromeartoear and Malabar Maple.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 9Apr08

2008 FIRST SOVEREIGN TRUST 3YO FLYING STAKES

Ian Dobson and the Met people may as well drop the NZ Derby trophy off to Mark Purdon now. It's near enough to as good as won by Auckland Reactor, and the believers are now well and truly in the majority.

But first, there are formalities to attend to, and that means Auckland Reactor must perform as he did in winning the First Sovereign Trust Flying Stakes at Addington in devastating style last Friday night. His cruel disposal of seven other good 3-year-olds made it crystal-clear that none of then are in his class, or even close to it. He beat Justa Tiger by seven lengths and his stablemate Fiery Falcon by a fraction more. It was a beating of big proportions, and the $200,000 Christian Cullen-sponsored Classic has the look of an open and shut case.

Phillip Kennard, one of the co-owners of Fiery Falcon, put on a brave front by saying how he was looking forward to a better draw and trying to stick within four or five lengths of Auckland Reactor and see what difference that would make. He took comfort in seeing Fiery Falcon finish within eight lengths of Auckland Reactor after perhaps, at best, being 10 lengths from him at one stage. Hope for better might be one thing, but getting it quite another.

While Auckland Reactor looked as fresh at the end as he did at the start, he didn't win the contest without some push and shove. Purdon ran him hard out of the gate, and then Gavin Smith pressed up with Cullen's Legacy to see if the lead was available. He was hard to settle from there and, committed to attack, ran keenly alongside Auckland Reactor for 800 metres, until dropping off and finishing 15 lengths behind. "I had an idea where he might finish up," said Purdon. "After going hard early, and then attacked, I was a bit surprised my horse had as much left as he did," he said.

This was Auckland Reactor's ninth successive win, which puts him in easy reach of equalling and bettering the record of Purdon's previous 3-year-old star Il Vicolo, who won 11 in succession at that age. Auckland Reactor can make it 13, if he wins the Derby, Southern Supremacy Final, the Harness Jewels and a lead-up race to that. Purdon says he's "potentially the best" horse he's had. "When he came down from the north he was just a horse, and well behind the other yearlings at the same stage. I gave him six weeks work, but he was nothing remarkable at the time. There was no pressure on him because he wasn't paid up for anything. I liked him, without there being anything special about him."

When he was back in again at two, Purdon said there was still nothing to mark him out. "We had Fiery Falcon, Ohoka Arizona and Steve McQueen, all nice horse, but they'd also done a lot more. It was not until I'd taken him to a couple of workouts, where he ran second and third, that he started to impress me. Both times I thought he could have gone past the others if I'd asked him to. Off the place, it seemed as if he would step up." And when he qualified "stylishly", he became a "nice" horse, and Purdon then had the Sires' Stakes in the "back of my mind. That was a great performance, winning that, but he is a better horse now."

If Purdon and co-trainer Grant Payne had worries from time to time about his condition, they don't have them now. "He's the biggest eater on the place," Purdon said. "I recently saw a picture of Mach Three (his sire) after he won a race at the same age, and from the neck back you'd say they were identical." Between the Group 2 win of last week and the Group 1 he goes for this week, Auckland Reactor had a solo run on Monday and worked with company on Wednesday. It seems Purdon is cautious with what he does with him. "I could work him hard and he can be a good trackworker."

After Auckland Reactor and Fiery Falcon, the Mach Threes at All Star Stables almost run out. He doesn't have a 2-year-old, and his only yearling is the colt from Russley Friction bought at the Australasian Classic by Neil Pilcher and Bill Grice.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 2Apr08

Auckland Reactor has always had quite a reputation, but even Mark Purdon was a little shell-shocked by his superlative performance to win Tuesday's $200,000 NRM Sires' Stakes Final at Addington.

Not really tested against the cream of his crop before, and saddled with the outside of the front line in a 1950m affair that was always going to be a torrid and seemingly even encounter, Auckland Reactor went back to last early in a strung out field passing the mile before circling them with cover from the 1400m to range up outside his more favoured stablemate Ohoka Arizona down the track. But just when he could have been expected to battle in the circumstances, Auckland Reactor went into overdrive and exploded away to put the result beyond doubt a furlong from home.

The Mach Three colt was clear by almost two lengths in the end from another son of Mach Three in Fiery Falcon, a last quarter off the front in 27.5 for an overall rate of 1.57 leaving no excuses or chances.

"I could see Blair (Orange on Ohoka Arizona) was gone on the turn, and I was really only worried about Benny Mac on my back," said Purdon. "But he had done a bit of work to get round them as well," he added. It was left to Fiery Falcon to lodge a late challenge, but he never looked like troubling the winner. Colin De Filippi had performed a minor miracle at the start to get Fiery Falcon over from barrier eight and into the one-one in the early piece, but had lost such a prominent position in the running. It was still a performance which confirmed that last season's Sires' Stakes 2YO Final winner is again going to be a major factor this term however, and a pleasing result considering he only made this Final by literally the skin of his teeth in the last heat.

But it was the performance from the unbeaten Auckland Reactor which suggested he is a class above his contemporaries and a superstar in the making which had most buzzing. Purdon knew he was good, but not that good. "He has always shown the promise, but it's a long way from winning a maiden race at Washdyke (less than two months ago) to winning the Sires' Stakes. "That is a big ask, and it was a big effort. He doesn't look much, and we've been patient while trying to build him up. It's only in the last few weeks that he has started to do well and put some condition on. But he has come on lately and improved from week to week."

Purdon said Auckland Reactor, bred and raced by Auckland's Tony Parker, and the 11th foal from the Soky's Atom mare Atomic Lass, would now go for another break and "come back for the Derbys. We'll look at the Southern Supremacy Series as well next year, as that's quite a nice race now too."

Purdon's decision to drive Auckland Reactor could in no way be interpreted as a sign of confidence over any of the other five 3-year-olds from his stable that made the Final. "Blair has driven Ohoka Arizona right from the start, and I didn't want to take Colin off the other horse as he has got on so well with him. It's just the way things have worked out." Auckland Reactor only just downed Steve McQueen by a head in the Sires' Stakes Heat at Forbury Park, but he wasn't all that happy in the wet conditions. The colt felt a lot better bolting in over older but lesser company at Kaikoura and had "trained on" since then.

Ohoka Arizona, last season's top-ranked juvenile and impressive when resuming in the first heat at Addington five weeks ago, was beaten on his merits and is obviously not right. "He had every chance and wasn't good enough today," said Orange. "It's a wee bit dissappointing really," he added.

Ohoka Utah was even more dissappointing considering he trailed and dropped away to beat only Reklaw's Boy home.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 15Nov07

2009 SEARELLS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS CLASSIC

Anyone who knows anything about Chinese astrology will point out that 2009 is not the 'Year of the Monkey'. here in New Zealand though, we might just have to re-write the script - this could well turn out to be the year when one particular monkey is crowned king after all.

Monkey King has looked devastating in his two outings so far this season. In the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru he shook off pre-race nerves to produce a run that was every bit as good as the winner's, then last Friday night at Addington he put in a faultless performance to score in national record time.

The $25,000 Searells Chartered Accountants Classic was unique in a way, because there were question marks hovering over both the first two favourites as punters waited anxiously to see if they would step away cleanly. Auckland Reactor made a complete mess of the start, as many had feared, but Monkey King found his hopples beautifully and landed mid-pack. From there driver Ricky May had options aplenty, and after making his run around the field he cleverly slipped 'Sam' into the trail behind Mr Feelgood when Report For Duty dropped out down the back; they were always going to have the last say up the passing lane.

"He just needed that race at Oamaru to settle him down," said Monkey King's trainer 'Benny' Hill, who was pretty sure deep down that his pacer wouldn't gallop off the mark like he did first-up. "He was a bit nervy and shaking when I was gearing him up before the Hannon, but tonight I was a lot happier with him...he was in the zone."

Hill exuded a lot of confidence about Monkey King's chances during his Trackside interview prior to the race last Friday - despite the presence of the two-time Horse of the Year. "Tonight wasn't about beating Auckland Reactor." he said. "It was more about getting away cleanly, going well, and looking forward to the Cup. Auckland Reactor's only one horse, there are thirteen others out there that you have got to worry about as well. No, we will just do our thing and he can do his - and we'll see what happens when they meet."

Hill can feel assured that Monkey King's NZ Cup preparation is falling into place nicely, and would dearly love to be humbly accepting handshakes from all and sundry sometime late afternoon on November 10. "I suppose this really could be his year," he said. "He has run second in the Cup before (2007), and we'll just forget about last season because he was crook. He went huge when he won the Easter Cup in April, running 3:58, and afterwards Robert (Famularo, owner) and I knew that that is the level we needed to have him at come November. Right at the moment, he is very close to it, and from now on it is just a case of keeping him happy and picking the right races. He's really starting to hit his straps though, and I reckon he's racing better than ever. He's a neat little fella, and he's shown that he's a force to be reckoned with."

The monkey is one of a dozen animals that symbolize the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac; the last time that it was the 'Year of the Monkey' was back in 2004, and the next one isn't until 2016. Monkey King's sire Sands A Flyin was born during a 'Year of the Monkey', as was the 7-year-old's grandam Sukuntala. Monkey King himself was foaled in the most recent 'Year of the Horse', 2002. And what a terrific wee horse he turned out to be...

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 7 Oct 2009

2009 FIRESTONE - SOUTHERN DEMOLITION & SALVAGE FREE-FOR-ALL

Auckland Reactor wasn't in the main event but he definitely proved a star attraction, running away with the 1950m Junior Free-For-All in an outstanding time of 2 17.8

The scary thing is he could have gone quicker than the 1 53.7 mile rate he clocked, had any of his rivals been able to get closer than five lengths away and make some sort of race of it. Purdon wasn't exactly out there to set any records either, and Auckland Reactor crossed the line with plenty in the tank.

"It's like when you are driving a really nice car on the open road, and you glance down at the speedo and realise you are going a lot faster than you thought," said Purdon, almost in disbelief himself of the Mach Three pacer's time. "He was really revelling out there today and enjoying his work. He felt good at the 1000 metre mark and it just carried on from there. You have got to compliment the guys responsible for the track - it was just fantastic."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 12Nov09

2009 WOODLANDS NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

Monkey King became the 28th horse in our sport's history to achieve the notable NZ Cup/NZ Free-For-All double in the same season when he produced another brilliant display at Addington on Show Day.

It was typical Monkey King-like stuff: sitting off the pace, waiting like a sniper to pick off his opposition one by one. For when it comes to having the last say, few can pack a punch bigger than the Monkey's, and if anything his win in the $250,000 Group 1 Woodlands Free-For-All on Friday was even easier than the Cup victory three days earlier.

"Far out," said trainer 'Benny' Hill afterwards, pausing to reflect on the enormity of his pacer's performances during Cup Week. Hill and the rest of Monkey King's connections were understandably still buzzing from Cup Day. 'Sam' iced the cake for them, but his victory was even sweeter because it also included the prize scalp of Auckland Reactor.

Like Auckland Reactor's other four rivals, Hill knew they were going to have to be good after watching the champ romp around Addington in record time on Cup Day. "We sort of didn't want to be too negative heading into this race," he said. We thought we would run second to him, plus there was an element of hope that Monkey would win if things went his way. I know that Monkey couldn't have done what the Reactor did on Cup Day - running a 1:53 mile rate like that, and doing it easy. Horses have their purple patches though, and this is his week. Our aim is to have him this well again next year, and try and come back and do it all again. In the meantime, we will just enjoy this moment while we can."

If there were any doubts about heading across the Tasman for the Miracle Mile, they disappeared in the space of two and a half minutes on Friday. "We were probably already going anyway, but today has sealed it," Hill said. "And if anything, that race in Aussie should be even more set up for him ...a lovely big track, and eight nice horses in the race that should ensure that the pace is true. He is a real neat little athlete, and he's different to most horses in that he is only 430kgs compared to the norm of around 530. But it's just the way he conducts himself and looks after himself - he's not hard work."

Hill kept a close eye on Monkey King in the days following his epic Cup victory, saying that despite the lure of another big carrot on their back doorstep, the pacer would not have been there if he hadn't come through it with anything less than flying colours. "The other four I had in all had a bit of a cough after their runs today. But when I took Monkey for a pick of grass this morning he let out a squeal and tried to front-foot me a couple of times - so I knew he was right, the little bugger."

There was plenty of controversy surrounding last Friday's Woodlands Free-For-All, with other talking points being the driving tactics of Phil Butcher but more importantly the shock defeat of Auckland Reactor. Not one person could take anything away from the little black rocket from Dancingonmoonlight Farm though...this was his time, and Cup Week in 2009 will forever be remembered as the 'Year Of The Monkey."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 18Nov09

For any harness racing fans who had forgotten just how good Auckland Reactor was they were given a fresh reminder at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting held at Addington Raceway tonight (Friday).

The brilliant son of Mach Three stepped perfectly in the Avon City Ford Cup (2600m stand) for co-trainer Mark Purdon who settled the entire handy on the outer for the most part of the race, before coming with a well-timed finishing burst to grab the Cran Dalgety trained pair of Smiling Shard and Bettor's Strike short of the line.

It was a superb fresh-up performance by Auckland Reactor and the win guaranteed him a start November's Christchurch Casino New Zealand Trotting Cup. For the connections the results was undeniably satisfying, but for trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, it was the horse's stand-start manners that were given the biggest seel of approval.

"He stepped perfectly to be honest, we could have run into trouble shortly after the start but he managed to dodge a few, to his credit the horse handled it beautifully," said Mark Purdon.

With a three wide train developing a lap from home, Purdon was forced to sit, wait and hope for a run over the concluding stages. His wish was grant 300 out, the brilliant pacer unleashing a whirlwind finish to snatch victory from a game Smiling Shard. "I didn't want to give him a hard run first-up and wanted him to be running on at the finish apposed to getting tired, so it was a logical choice to sit and wait," says Purdon.

Auckland Reactor appeared settled and relaxed throughout, a far cry from his previous start, where six months earlier he pulled himself into the ground during the running of the Trillian Trust Auckland Cup, eventually dropping out to finish second last.

"He travelled good tonight and never really got right on the steel until the last 500, when I pulled him out he felt terrific and just kept on coming," Purdon said.

It was certainly refreshing to see the Auckland Reactor race with such kindness and tractability, allowing Purdon the freedom of choice when comes to how he chooses to drive the talented pacer. And while he ticked all the right boxes in tonight's feature, and seems destined for a date with the New Zealand Cup, the same can't be said for Franco Emirate who completely muffed the start, driver Jim Curtin getting too far back to even consider a pursuit.

The big son of Christian Cullen will be causing the connections some unhealthy headaches as the attempt to rectify the horse's inability to step cleanly. West Melton trainer Cran Dalgety will come away well satisfied with Smiling Shard, who still looked a little pretty, and Bettor's Strike. Both horses performed with distinction.

Perhaps the run of the race could be bestowed upon champion pacer Monkey King, who after being slow away, made up tremendous ground in the straight and looks right on song for a NZ Cup three-peat. Four year old Terror To Love was given no chance after driver Anthony Butt dropped his guard at the 900 and was humped four wide, the son of Western Terror was then sent via the cape turning for home and finished a meritorious seventh.

The winning time for Auckland Reactor was 3.15.9, home in 55.8 and 28.4. It was the seven year old's 27th win from just 38 starts.

Bring on the Christchurch Casino New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 8 at Addington Raceway.


Credit: Ged Mooar 3 Oct 2011

ATOMIC LASS - Mystery Mare

Nobody would have been ready to put the knock on Atomic Lass as her breeding career unfolded but it would have been a lot harder to predict she would produce a horse like Auckland Reactor.

Atomic Lass was then 18years old, had missed the two previous years and had already had 10 foals, some smart, some useful but none memorable. One of her early ones, Taupo Tiger, had won a couple for Mark Purdon but was moderate in Australia. Waitaki Warrior followed a similar path winning the Bankstown Guineas. Taihape Tickler was another who showed good form early on(6th Great Northern Derby) and ran in some good races in Australia though ending his days in claimers in Perth.

Matuki took a 1:53.2 time in the US which was pretty much run of the mill. A dose of Direct Scooter through Mach Three seemed to transform the situation and whatever the odds being against Atomic Lass she produced a $1.9m record smashing superstar.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed June 2016