Stable stars CHASE A DREAM and OSCAR BONAVENA lead a potent Purdon stable Friday night charge with surprise packet MR KAPLAN poised to go one better in a midrange filly and mare field well below the Standardbred Breeders Stakes G1 2nd she posted last week.Then there’s FRANCO INDIE resuming after a brief letup.
“In some ways that took us by surprise with Mr Kaplan but probably less for me than the others ” Nathan said the formerly Tony Herlihy-trained mare
“I had a talk with Tony telling him how well she was working down here but he had reservations in a Group One race.Then her work got better again but I was a bit on my own. Tony still talked her down a bit in that sort of race and Natalie spoke to Tony so she thought it was a big challenge as well. To gain a Group One placing was a bit of a thrill.Not quite sure how good the Telfer one is but she certainly looks well placed in that grade of race”
Franco Indie is resuming but Nathan points to his fresh up record and says he is ready to go a bold race.
“He will go to the Cheviot Cup next probably and a first four in that will probably get us into the Country Cups Final which we were aiming at with him.”
The trotters race is a stable highlight of the evening. Mark and Nathan have HIGH ENERGY and Oscar Bonavena engaged while brother Michael will be opposing them with MYSTIC MAX.
Michael’s charge is not worrying Nathan.
“On the handicaps it looks a two horse race to me on class and Oscar has continued to thrive.He’s got that terrific acceleration you don’t see that often with trotters and that always makes him hard to beat. High Energy faces a big rise in class. If she does everything right and finishes somewhere around them that is all I am looking for at this stage”
In Auckland Nathan is convinced punters will see the best of Chase a Dream this week.
“They say he is going well and with the Derby coming up you are looking for him to peak. I am pretty sure Mark will hold the front from there and I would be expecting him to win from there with the Derby in view”
“TREACHEROUS BABY has a bad gate but in a race she can win and MAJOR HOT should get some of the money”
Nathan says both of the Miracle Mile night contenders are back in Auckland and looking at some upcoming races.
“Mark thought he could have finished third in the Mile if he had stuck to the inside. He improved on the outer when coming into the race and had to cover too much ground at that pace. He came through the race good and there are opportunities up north with him”
“We Walk by Faith was coughing after the Derby and we put that down to his run which was below his best. But he is fine now and should bounce back quickly”