Mark Purdon drives Sunny Ruby to victory in the V L Dullard Cup.
Mark Purdon’s genius extended beyond his own stable with the Kiwi producing one of the drives of the night to set up another New Zealand victory.
Purdon delivered trainer Sam Smolenski “a career highlight” when he steered Sunny Ruby to the Group 1 $50,000 Haras Des Trotteurs V L Dullard Trotters Cup.
The winning move came in the opening metres when Sunny Ruby (gate three) capitalised on K D Muscles’ (gate two) early pace. Purdon tagged on the back of K D Muscles, crossing favourite On Thunder Road (gate one) to guide his mare into the box seat and give her an armchair ride into the race.
That meant the Kiwi mare, who has a sizzling sprint, had plenty left in the tank to open up in the sprint lane and hold out a super run from Victorian horse The Boss Man.
Purdon’s drive was the talk of the track post-race.
“(On Thunder Road) was just struggling to hold (leader) Kate Gath’s back and there was just enough room to squeeze in,” Purdon said. “I was a bit lucky.”
He’s been “lucky” plenty of times.
“Mark’s a great driver,” Smolenski said. “She got a great run.”
Sunny Ruby won by a half-head from The Boss Man, continuing trainer Scott Dyer and driver Ellen Tormey’s brilliant summer with the seven-year-old trotter, who has snapped up the Horsham, Cobram and Yarra Valley trotters cups.
Quite A Moment finished third for Lance Justice and all three are likely to carry on to next Saturday’s $300,000 Pryde’s Easifeed Great Southern Star, the richest race in Australasia.
“Next week’s the one we want,”Smolenski said.
Media enquiries:
Michael Howard (HRV Media/Communications Co-Ordinator)
t: 03 8378 0286 | e: mhoward@hrv.org.au | tw: @MichaelRHoward
