RUBIRA and DEMON BLUE (pictured discussing their prospects on Sunday) -or Confederate-are out to extend a proud Purdon record in the Sires Stakes Final at Addington tomorrow.
Major Mark early star for hugely successful Kennard syndicate,Phil Creighton,Neil Pilcher,Gavin Douglas and Phil and Glenys in 2010
It’s an incredible stat considering the difficulty of assessing which yearling will have natural two year old ability that of the 23 2yo Sires Stakes finals run this century Barry or Mark Purdon along with partners have trained 15 of them.It is a stat worth reflecting on for its sheer impact. It is due to a lot more than just stable numbers and a whole lot more than just luck. Training skills par excellence.
Don’t Stop Dreaming out to be first SS2yo Final winner to add NZ Cup since Il Vicolo
Just for a little variety this year one of their two leading rivals is prepared by Brian and Gareth Hughes, Brian being a cousin of the Purdon boys.
One Change Wins Jewels-and most other features as leading 2yo of 2019
It goes back a lot further than this century of course. Barry and legendary father,Roy,trained Billbob who won the first Sires Stakes Final back in 1984.Then there was Chokin 1991; Montana Vance (co-owned by Katrina Purdon) in 1992 and then Il Vicolo-with Barry and Roy as trainers of record-before Mark chimed in as a driver of The Court Owl in 1995 when Bill Kitcher was listed as the trainer but with a lot of Mark Purdon input.He later took over the training
Light and Sound and Likemsiah were back to backers for Mark early in the 2000’s followed by the then unusual partnership of owners of Fiery Falcon (a Michael House inspired team of Kennards,Rona and Clive McKay and Sir Roy McKenzie) then Major Mark, one of the early Kennard Syndicate horses at Rolleston.Barry had back to backers again with Five Card Draw and Maxim (giving Katrina her third winner as an owner) then the Rollieston juggernaut that was Mark and Natalie took over.
Maxim was co-owned by Trevor Casey,an original owner of One Change who has had a winning foot in both camps. Maxim beat his own horse,Sky Major,though for another Barry Purdon quinella.
Spankem 2017 winner and all time record holder for 1950m finals
There were six winners in succession from Hug the Wind, Chase the Dream (Jean Feiss’s first) plus the Mark and Roy-co-owned More the Better (stable trifecta) Spankem,Jesse Duke (stable trifecta) and One Change the indestructible -incredibly still racing for original co-owner Mike Woodlock.
One Change led a stable trifecta and was co-owned by Mark and Natalie at the time. The last three winners have been Akuta (Mark co-owner) ,Don’t Stop Dreaming (Sherlock 2nd) and the breathtaking win of Chase a Dream for Olivia last year-another trifecta for the Rolleston stable.
One Change still has the 1980m record for the race (2.19.8) while Spankem ran a record smashing 2.18.5 for the early 1950m standard.It will probably remain an all timer
Chase The Dream led a Rolleston trifecta in 2015 for Jean Feiss-beating a smart one called Lazarus
The Hughes stable have a strong contender tomorrow in Captain Sampson to give the cuzzies a fright if at peak fitness and Barry and Scott Phelan have a live chance in Confederate off a nice gate. Ironically enough the horse to beat,Marketplace is raced by a Kennard syndicate who ran Spankem out of the Rolleston stable.
Whatever the outcome-and Blair must be overdue for a winning turn-the chances are a Purdon will feature in the result somewhere.As you do.
Long striding Jesse Duke gave Bill and Jean Feiss a thrill in 2018
COVER PIC; Demon Blue and Rubira between heats in final workout on Sunday “I think I will win-No I think I will win