Gale force winds upset the Purdon stable regime for a few hours on Monday but were not enough to disturb Nathan’s confidence about how the team shaped for the big New Year’s Eve meeting on Thursday, the last for the partnership which has won so much in recent seasons.
“ARDEN’S MEMORY might be our best on the night but they all have at least each way chances and they have done everything right since Cambridge” Nathan said.
Arden’s Memory is Brooke’s drive on the programme and sits at $2.40 in the filly and mare special up to R49 which finds her so well placed given her recent form. Two starts back she broke 2.40 for 2200 here and has run a first and a second in three starts at the 1700. She is coming off a Group One challenge in the Queen of Hearts after being caught wide and being checked in the unfortunate aftermath of the Captain’s Mistress disaster in the final stages. Back in this grade she looks hard to beat with Ultimate Racy Girl her most likely rival.
CRIPPA MAX (5.10 pm ) having delivered first up is showing $2.50 to repeat and Nathan feels he will benefit from the Cambridge outing.
“There were quite a few things for him to take in besides his first race. The crowd were right up the fence,they were new to him, and when he came into the straight with the nose and anything he lost his bearings a bit. But to his credit he came back to Andre and fought on well.I think he will go on from there.It’s a tricky draw but he should get his chance. Buddy Good is definitely the one to beat.”
LOOK TO DA STARS 5.35: $3)had one of his broken gait acts in the Metro Final last start here but for once he had a genuine excuse.
“He was trotting along really well but then he lost a shoe. That caused him to trot roughly and break up. The way he was going encourages us to think that he will be better this week. It’s a race that suits. It was a mobile last time but he doesn’t have a lot of early speed anyway so the stand suits him too. I might be looking to give him a little break after this but I think he should go well on his work since his last start”
AKUTA and OSCAR BONAVENA have both been working up in Morrinsville but Nathan has kept in close touch with their progress.
“Dad is happy with both their work. Oscar ($2.80) hasn’t been used for breeding collections and that should be a plus for him. The Free for All conditions is a lot in his favour too after coming off handicaps. The favourite (Mighty Logan) looks the one to beat but we know how good Oscar can be.
“He is happy with Akuta’s work but not sure how that will transfer to raceday. His work has been as good as earlier. He has had a long buildup after his injury and that is probably the query. So its really a matter of seeing if he can transfer it to raceday ”
Nathan’s other interest on the night is brother Michael’s MYSTIC MAX who has been under his management in the north. While not yet hitting his 2024 peaks,Nathan felt his Cambridge run had signs of it returning.
“It really was his best run for quite a while in the way he did it. I was very pleased with that and if he backs up as I expect he will there’s no reason why he can’t at least be in three.He’s a horse who has a few problems that need careful maintenance but he seems well at the moment and right handed doesn’t bother him”
PS Check in Tuesday for Mark’s summing up of his last New Year’s Eve meeting with Nathan as a partner
Pic:Arden’s Memory-Give you a pleasant one on Wednesday