Category Archive

LENNY’S A SUPERSTAR A nose cost Lennytheshark victory in last year’s Miracle Mile when Australia’s most popular pacer was beaten by Have Faith In Me. So that made revenge all the more sweeter at Tabcorp Park @ Club Menangle tonight when Lennytheshark prevailed by that barest possible margin, beating Mark Purdon’s trio of Smolda, Lazarus and Our Waikiki Beach in the $750,000 Group One Ainsworth Miracle Mile . . . the 50th running of the elite invitation-only race. It was an emotional reinsman Chris Alford who returned after ‘Lenny’ broke the magical 1:50 mark, rating 1:49.2 in a fabulous finish …

VINCENT LEAVES RIVALS BREATHLESS IN NSW DERBY ree out of three ain’t bad . . . Group Ones that is. Only this time the Mark Purdon stable also bagged the Trifecta as well as Vincent, the next superstar of harness racing in this country, captured he $200,000 Wards Accounting Group NSW Derby at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on Saturday, 25, 2017. Vincent beat Ultimate Machete and Motu Meteor to give the powerful All Stars stable the first three over the line as they completely monopolised this blue riband event. Vincent (Mark Purdon) found the front fairly easily in a 58.3s lead …

A PICCADILLY PRINCESS BECOMES QUEEN OF MENANGLE There are few sights more stirring than two great horses going head-to-head in a battle royale. And that was the case in the Group One Macarthur Square Ladyship Mile at Tabcorp Park at Club Menangle tonight when champion pair A Piccadilly Princess (Natalie Rasmussen) and Frith (Luke McCarthy) fought out a thrilling finish to this elite mares’ sprint on Saturday, February 25, 2017. At the end A Piccadilly Princess stuck out her nose right on the line to beat the gallant Frith by a nose, with the winner rating 1:50.4 for the mile. …

MARK PURDON GETS MENANGLE PARTY STARTED Not that he needed any incentive, but the sight of his 90-year-old father Roy striding through the gates of Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday, February 25, 2017, signalled the start of a big night for champion trainer-driver Mark Purdon. A little over an hour later Purdon landed the first Group One of the evening, the HQ Insurance NSW Oaks, with a masterful drive to score with his latest ‘female’ stable star in Partyon. Caught behind the leader, Takara Truffle for most of the race, it was always going to be a case of simply …

NZ PREMIER YEARLING SALES DETAILS, 2017 Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones purchased another five from this year’s NZ Premier Yearling Sales,  including a six-fugure purchase in Lot 495, Harmony Delight, a daughter of champion sire Bettor’s Delight, for $120,000. Harmony Delight is the fourth foal from a former Harness Jewels 2YO Diamond winner in Gotta Go Harmony (p2, 1:55.5), a Christian Cullen daughter of former Australian Derby winner and tough filly and 2002 NZ Pacer of The Year, Elect To Live (1:55.5, 19 wins from 35 starts for $577,992). The lightly-raced Gotta Go Harmony (four wins from 22 starts for …

MARK SECURES TWO FROM 2017 AUSTRALASIAN CLASSIC SALE Sales details from the Australasian Classic Yearing Sales at Karaka on February 20, 2017: 1 A/c Woodlands Stud (NZ) Ltd, Clevedon: Delightful Jessie (B f Bettor’s Delight-Jessies Cullen), PGG Wrightson (as agent), Australia, $20,000. 2 A/c Miss C L Phelan, Papakura; & J H Price, Wellsford: Suarez (Br c Majestic Son-Jaqui N), J W Dickie, Papakura, $16,000. 3 A/c B A Spurdle, Te Kuiti: The Fonz (B c A Rocknroll Dance-Jilletto), passed (res. $15,000). 4 A/c Karnup Racing Pty Ltd, West Australia: Jack Jones (B c Art Major-Jacinta Jones), P I & …

MIRACLE MILE FIELD DRAWN FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 By Michael Court Mark Purdon’s star pair drew perfectly in the barrier draw for the Ainsworth Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park @ Club Menangle on Sunday. The only problem was, neither of them was Lazarus. Inter Dominion winner Smolda drew gate one and Our Waikiki Beach drew four but is expected to come into gate three when the second emergency, Major Crocker, is scratched, despite drawing barrier two. Purdon’s star four-year-old Lazarus threw the race open when he drew out in gate eight (will come into six with the emergencies out) but …

DAVID AIKEN STABLEMATES EARN MIRACLE MILE STARTS By Michael Court Hectorjayjay and Lennytheshark gave David Aiken a double-barrelled attack on next week’s $750,000 Ainsworth Miracle Mile when they won the two qualifying sprints tonight at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday, February 18. Lennytheshark quickly found the front and led all the way to win the Canadian Club Sprint in 1:50.3, beating Yayas Hotspot and Aztec Bromac with the first two horses automatically sealing Miracle Mile spots alongside Chariots Of Fire winner Lazarus. Trainer David Aiken barely had time to smile as he quickly harnessed up Hectorjayjay, who put in a …

ATOMIC RED SETS 3YO WORLD RECORD IN NSW DERBY HEAT By Michael Court The “Purdon Express” rolled on during heats of the NSW Pacers Derby at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday night, February 18, with the champion New Zealand trainer’s All Stars stable winning two of the three qualifying heats. While the defeat of Ultimate Machete appeared to burst that bubble for Purdon, who admitted his Bettors Delight youngster was beaten a long way from home, Vincent and Motu Meteor both scored strong wins and will give Purdon a hat-trick of hopes in the final with Ultimate Machete still qualifying …

EYRE I COME OVERCOMES THE ODDS TO WIN GROUP THREE FFA Twelve months ago the prospect of Eyre I Come and Master Lavros competing in a Group Three trot, let alone finishing first and third, was unimaginable. Veterinary advice suggested both injury-plagued trotters wouldn’t race again, after Master Lavros suffered a hind suspensory problem 14 months ago, and Eyre I Come had further knee issues a year ago. But with the right care and attention, the Mark Jones-trained squaregaiters have clawed their way back. At Addington on Friday, February 17, Eyre I Come exceeded expectations with his career highlight, winning …