Kiwi horseman Mark Purdon confident ahead of tonight's heat
After pillaging Australian riches with disturbing regularity in recent months, it comes as little surprise to see champion Christchurch conditioner Mark Purdon back at Victorian harness headquarters for Friday night’s APG heats for the two-year-old boys.
More than two months after sweeping the Shepparton and Ballarat Trotting Cups with recent Inter Dominion winner I Can Doosit, before claiming Caduceus Club Cup success with Our Major Mark and taking out a dashing double at Menangle last Saturday night, the revered conditioner has once again traversed the Tasman in search of Australian big-race glory.
Despite the commendable credentials of each and every horse he has brought to visit in 2011, none have come with bigger wraps than unbeaten Mach Three colt Fly Like An Eagle, whose last demolition of a Group 1 field at Alexandra Park certified him as the horse to beat.
“I’ve got a very high opinion of him (Fly Like An Eagle), so I wasn’t necessarily surprised that he won last start, but the way he did it impressed me very much,” Purdon revealed.
“From barrier four I’d be shocked if anything really wanted to hold us out. He sort of worked his way to the front under his own steam last time and I’d be expecting a similar scenario on Friday and if we do find the top, I think we’re probably the ones to beat.”
While punters and pundits agree with Purdon that Fly Like An Eagle – a $1.20 favourite with TAB Sportsbet - appears to have a stranglehold on his 1720-metre heat this Friday night, it is unlikely the landscape will be quite as clear cut for the prestigious series’ $305,000 Final in three weeks time.
At least one gun local in Jayne Davies’ gifted Gold Crown winner Soho Valencia - himself a prohibitive $1.30 favourite ahead of the APG’s second qualifier at Melton this weekend - should see to that.
But with Purdon fortunate enough to have his second-string juvenile Mr Nickel opposing Davies’ talented son of Art Major in heat two at Tabcorp Park this weekend, he is every chance of gaining a unique insight into where two of the series’ genuine heavyweights rate ahead of their mouth watering match-up on May 6.
“Looking at the fields, she (Soho Valencia) does look the one to watch from down here (Victoria),” Purdon conceded. “You’ve always got to respect Jayne and Chris (Alford, driver), so we’ll be keeping a close eye on him for sure.
“We’re in quite a fortunate position to have Mr Nickel up against him – and while we don’t expect to win that heat, he should give us a good guide for how Soho Valencia will stack up against Fly Like An Eagle when they hopefully clash in a few weeks time.”
The first of seven opening round APG heats was run on April 12, while a further three primary qualifiers will be staged at NSW harness headquarters on Friday night where promising Presidential Ball colt Gamechanger looms as the star attraction.
Second round heats for the series will take place at Tabcorp Park, Melton on April 29 exactly one week before the Group 1 Final, when the latest rising star of the Australian paceway will be crowned.