The return of ANYTHING GOES in the Maurice Holmes Trophy is a Purdon Racing highlight tonight at Addington. Not necessarily him winning the race the stable has won so often over the years -just getting there.
“He’s had the trials and the buildup but he will improve with the run. But if he got a sneaky run through them and turned up with his best you wouldn’t count him out of getting at least some of it ” Nathan said
Anything Goes has long been rated a potential star but he has presented two challenges to the stable.The first assessing his health and the second assessing his fitness. Nathan has noted in the past that judging on his work at home he has looked all over a winner without quite producing that form days later on racenight even if going good races. And niggling issues have produced longish spells and a lot of attention from Devon who looks after him and has since he was a youngster before he came to Rolleston.
This is his first race in 10 months since being put aside after Kaikoura last October.His leadup form,hopefully leading up to a Cup start in November was put on hold and then followed a further spell. So nobody would be surprised if he needed tonight’s run.
But two things should be born in mind.
One is that he won first up last spring driven by Natalie to win the once hallowed National Handicap.That was his first run since the previous May and this is a longer break but he has had the buildup.
The other is that in spite of his problems he was won 8 of 22 starts and finished in the first three in 17 of them,many of them in strong company. Sharp punters have kept him safe at $7 even though he has the tricky gate of 11. Blair takes the drive a bonus for any horse at any time.
ARDEN’S MEMORY is in a face she can win acording to Nathan.
“She just got home at Ashburton but looking at the field you would hae to say she is up with them and with the right run has got to be a chance”
WITHOUT YOU who dashed along nicely in her trial last week makes her debut and the punters haven’t missed her at $2.70 favourite. Raced by Jean Feiss she had an middle stage dab in her trial then surged home nicely in 57.7 and 28.5.
“She’s nice type we are looking to take through the grades and will be competitive in that lineup” Nathan added.
PIC:Devon steers Anything Goes in a recent trial. The big American Ideal gelding resumes tonight