Nathan has settled in well with his team of four for their spring campaign based at the Jess Tubbs/Greg Sugars Victorian stable.
Sherlock will be the first to race, in a Vicbred heat on August 30th. The other contenders are all trottere\s, We Can Have It All which as Australian bred has a number of race opportunities and the well performed High Energy and High Interest who will be contesting two and three year old trotting features in September.
Nathan had originally planned to come over a little later than it happened but that was for practical reasons.
“There’s quite a lot of paper work to be done with the various series and other things so I wanted to be on the front foot”
This is the first Purdon Racing stable visit to Australia since 2020 and is sure to add further colour to a vibrant new Victorian Spring Carnival.
Meanwhile No Matter Wat seems well placed in her season debut with Oaks winning driver Olivia back in the cart.
Her presence is essential. The four year old would not have been eligible for her R64 limit race without a junior driver.
“I’m fairly confident she will win. We want to put her on the Cup trail if she’s good enough and these early races will be the guide.She will be stepping up in grade after this.”
Olivia will also drive With Style against Sinbad who,drawn just three gates wider in the preferential draw, looks the stronger chance.
With Style chased Sherlock home as a two year old but has not quite gone on with it so far this year.
“He’s a good horse but at the highest level he might just find one better. I couldn’t say he’s improved a lot since his break but he is ready to go ok ”
Nathan has mixed feelings on the claims Sinbad (pictured) looked to have little petrol in the tank at the end of his first up run in a race he was expected to win easily.
“It probably looked that way but he is a funny horse. Even at home he is laid back, only does what he has to. I think there was a fair bit of that in his first run. I think he had more to give than it looked.”