Big Brilliant Day That Might Have Been Much More

THREE STARS STILL SHINE TONIGHT

 

BRILLIANT BLAIR-probably never driven better on a single Cup programme in a long career-big statement

MASTERLY MARK – Helped put the polish on the team ,had Oscar and Demon Blue spot on for big runs and

NEXTGEN NATHAN-What an achievement. Unsettling spring,many challenges,had them dead right on the day.

The trio’s exceptional skills meant going close to a pacing  Clean Sweep on the biggest day of the year. They didn’t quite do it but they went so close they could taste it- and reminded us that even with a smaller race team they still remain the best we have on the big day

It started with a classic Blair Orange drive behind Treacherous Baby as she downed the hot favourite the Duchess of Megzit in the Nevele R final-yet another big moment for Caroline and Braeden Whitelock who started winning Group One filly events with All Stars away back in 2012 (Meredith Maguire) and have bred every one since.

Blair,clearly exalted with the win which he had bravely engineered by taking the race to the chief rival was quick to deflect praise from himself.He made an uncharacteristict “take that” wave of the whip -an emotional gesture by a man who likes to keep emotion out of the loop.

“This is great but its great for Nathan too. Putting me on top horses has helped my driving and Nathan has done a great job with them”

Blair might have added that as he works at Purdon Racing in a part time capacity and so a valuable assistant as he was in many years previously but he generously handed the plaudits to the stable.Nathan,often underrated as the 3rd generation of an epic harness family, had turned Treacherous Baby from a terrific sit and sprint filly into one that could sit parked and run down an odds -on hotshot. He may have hoped Mark on Arden’s Memory might give him cover when she came up wide but Mark was unable to get to the leaders.As it happened it didn’t matter.

Next up was the Dominion Handicap which everyone able to read knew would be won by Just Believe if things went his way. You only rarely  see a race as big as that  won so easily -easing down-and this one was among the best.

But Oscar Bonavena went a magnificent race for his placing and how Mark must hate that spot on the far turn on Dominion day. On Oscar’s first try at the race as favourite he was out of it early through circumstances beyond his control there and today he was shuffled back out of contention at about the same point after enjoying a nice run midfield.Out of the race at the turn he charged into the head wind to establish an ever decreasing margin that indeed showed as oth Mark and Nathan have repeated, that he is as good as ever.It was a special moment too for second placed Mighty Logan raced by Barrie and Diane Clark.Their father  Tom (Logan Count) and uncle Lester (Mighty Chief, both trained Dominion winners in past years.

That was unlucky part.Then came heartbreaks.

Blair was at the brilliant tap again in the Sires Stakes Final. When odds-on fave Marketplace sped to an early lead from a wide gate the general assumption was game over. Not for Blair.He circled them and just when expected to sit parked outside the favourite Blair hunted for the lead,knowng Group One rookie Craig Ferguson might be looking for a sit after that early work-and he was.From then on it was the survival of the fittest in one of the best 400m into the teeth of an easterly of the day.Marketplace was just a smidgen too good on the day giving the Kennard Syndicates the quinella, while Mark showed the improvement of the Danny Zavitsanos co-owned Demon Blue running home strongly for third. That meant Mark didn’t have to worry about Danny suddenly appearing and tossing him around -like he did after the Blair Orange driven Cruz Bromac’s Cup win !

The big one is always the Cup. The public reckoned there were only four chances and three of those were in the finish while Republican Party,so often underrated ,pushed local favourite Merlin back to fourth,

A long time before then it was a two horse race between the two best drivers on the track.Blair had got to the front as Mark had suggested he would and Blair intended to, with the desired result-getting a trail behind Swayzee after he had to do hard work early.

Briefly,just briefly, it looked like another Cup for Purdon Racing to add to the 8 won already.

“I got the nose in front for a moment but the other horse came back at us and he won it fair and square. My little horse was trained to the minute,did everything right, we had our chance,no disgrace being beaten by a performance like that.”

Shades of Mark’s fate when Akuta was runner up last year. But what a phenomenal Cup record it is

In between these masterclasses Blair had produced two of his own,copybook winning drives perhaps nobody else on the day could have engineered so well .

So the honours were with Australia. But Purdon Racing headed by three special horsemen,didn’t let them do it easily.

Nathan may dwell for some time tonight on what might have been.

But in the end  he will sleep a whole lot better