A win in the NZ Derby at Addington on Friday or at least a strong performance will see CHASE A DREAM head north for the Auckland Cup and under the new season status has his chance to become the first three year old to win the race that predates the New Zealand Cup by many years.
“Yes if he runs up to what I think he can that is the next major target for him. There is the leadup on the 13th and he will race again in that.We are not getting ahead of ourselves. It will depend on his form in the Derby. But I identified the Cup as a suitable race for a horse of his class a while ago now and have had to manage his programme with that in mind.”
That management of guiding a super talent through a maze of rich features without taxing his resources beyond ideal has kept Nathan awake on more than one night in recent times.
The Purdon stable in the Mark=Natalie era was single handedly responsible for establishing the time -honoured all aged Auckland Cup as a largely four year old estate. Have Faith In Me, Dream About Me, Turn It Up, Vincent,Self Assured;remarkable Auckland performer Amazing Dream (she had won the Woodlands Derby and Pascoe Oaks the previous season) were followed by Akuta.
Of course under the same regime, Chase a Dream would also be rated a four year old hence Nathan’s confidence that it is a task well within his compass. But first things first.What about the Derby ?
“I am very happy with him. He is where I wanted him to be and at his best he can win it. I was not disappointed last week. I thought he would improve with the run and he has. I can’t really fault him and he should be right in it.As we know at his best he is a very good horse”
Many of his rivals are very even in quality but Nathan has a sneaking regard for a $14 shot Jeremiah,a youngster who has measured up to the best in previous age group racing. He has been based at Rolleston with the rest of the Barry Purdon/Scott Phelan team.
“Just the way he is working he looks ready for a big run”
The strike rate of the Purdon stable in the Derby is well documented -50 per cent of the winners this century-and Nathan is hopeful he can add another name to the Purdon list.
The Auckland team has had a notable addition in OSCAR BONAVENA who has previously been having Xmas at home after posting a treble win in the Green Mile on Sunday. Nathan is not worried about the 20m handicap on Friday. He is on the brink of becoming only the second trotter of the Purdon stable era to win $1m in stakes.
“He is close to the horse to beat and he is usually safe so that’s no worry. He is thriving and now Just Believe is going home and missing Auckland it has become a bit more attractive to go there”
Oscar-in Full Flight again
Nathan revealed he had taken a risk with Oscar on Sunday altering his bit a crucial part of his gear.
“He reacts differently to different bits. We have found at home he is sharper early with one and relaxes more once in front. So I bit the bullet and put that sort of one on and it worked out. Once he was in front he was always going to be hard to beat. He is still a happy boy”
However Nathan is less optimistic about LOOK TO DA STARS in the Trotting Derby though he believes he will be go a good race and be a top three ($26-$2.60)..Nathan says a “boot camp” earlier in the year seems to have worked big improvement in the young trotter,talented but erratic in his earlier days.
“He was up north at the time so we sent him to a course of non racing exercise to alter his focus. He was ridden for quite a while, galloped, did dressage style work that sort of thing. He hasn’t galloped in a race since,fingers crossed and he went a good race last time. But the Australian filly looks a bit good for ours at the moment”