Chief Stipe Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Spellbound is an odds-on favourite in the 4YO Mares Final on Vicbred finals nights at Melton. By Adam Hamilton 11:56am • 31 December 2021 Top former Kiwi horseman Nathan Purdon thinks he can give himself and punters a New Year’s Eve to remember. Purdon, who made Lara near Geelong home just under 12 months ago, trains two of the big guns at Friday night’s Vicbred finals night at Melton. Spellbound is $1.80 favourite to win her Group 1 4YO Mares Final, while younger stablemate Amore Vita has been crunched from $2.80 into $2.40 to win the Group 1 2YO Fillies Final. “We’ve exceeded expectations in the first year, but not by as much as much you’d think because I’m a person who sets the bar pretty high,” Purdon said. “When you leave home and try something like this, it has to be successful to make it all worthwhile. “Having these two horses going into the big races as big winning chances has certainly helped give us something to focus on and look forward to. “We’ve got high hopes for both without getting carried away because it’s Group 1 racing. They are both as good a show as each other, whichever gets the best luck in running will be the better hope. “The best part is, they are both as good as I can have them at the right time.” While many think the jury is out on gate one for Amore Vita, Purdon is almost adamant she will lead and hold the front. “Her gate speed is a little bit underrated, she’s faster than most people give her credit for,” he said. “Early on she was a bit green and took a bit to get going in the first 50m, but she’s grown through that. “I think she’ll leave pretty strong. It will take something very quick to get across. "I hope and expect to lead and hold it. Chris (Alford, driver) has looked after her in lead-ups, but she’s peaked now and ideally we’ll see her driven like the best horse.” Amore Vita has been well supported to win the 2YO Fillies Final. Picture: Stuart McCormick Spellbound has cruised through her heat and semi with soft wins, which has been exactly what Purdon hoped. “I spoke with Stuey (McDonald, driver) about wanting her to do nothing more than she has to through the qualifiers and he’s done exactly that,” he said. “For three to four weeks I wasn’t overly happy with her, but past two weeks given me the feel she’s as good as she can be again and that’s exciting. “I don’t we need to burn out from the wide draw, just keep working forward. If he she finds the front then great, if not, then she can still control the race from outside them. “It looks like she and Maajida are the class runners and it helps Maajida has drawn inside the back row and needs some luck with traffic.” In other stable news, Australia’s champion mare Amazing Dream won’t race again before the Group 1 Ballarat Cup on January 22. “We just gave her a week off after Cranbourne. She’s had a lot of brutal races going into it from bad draws before that and it was just starting to catch-up with her a little,” Purdon said. “We’ll get her ready for Ballarat and then onto the Hunter Cup (February 5).” Purdon is optimistic Amazing Dream may stay Down Under long enough for a crack at the Ladyship Mile and maybe Miracle Mile at Menangle in late February/early March “There’s no departure date yet and those races are getting closer. I’d love to get her up to a Ladyship Mile,” he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unhinged Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said: Spellbound is an odds-on favourite in the 4YO Mares Final on Vicbred finals nights at Melton. By Adam Hamilton 11:56am • 31 December 2021 Top former Kiwi horseman Nathan Purdon thinks he can give himself and punters a New Year’s Eve to remember. Purdon, who made Lara near Geelong home just under 12 months ago, trains two of the big guns at Friday night’s Vicbred finals night at Melton. Spellbound is $1.80 favourite to win her Group 1 4YO Mares Final, while younger stablemate Amore Vita has been crunched from $2.80 into $2.40 to win the Group 1 2YO Fillies Final. “We’ve exceeded expectations in the first year, but not by as much as much you’d think because I’m a person who sets the bar pretty high,” Purdon said. “When you leave home and try something like this, it has to be successful to make it all worthwhile. “Having these two horses going into the big races as big winning chances has certainly helped give us something to focus on and look forward to. “We’ve got high hopes for both without getting carried away because it’s Group 1 racing. They are both as good a show as each other, whichever gets the best luck in running will be the better hope. “The best part is, they are both as good as I can have them at the right time.” While many think the jury is out on gate one for Amore Vita, Purdon is almost adamant she will lead and hold the front. “Her gate speed is a little bit underrated, she’s faster than most people give her credit for,” he said. “Early on she was a bit green and took a bit to get going in the first 50m, but she’s grown through that. “I think she’ll leave pretty strong. It will take something very quick to get across. "I hope and expect to lead and hold it. Chris (Alford, driver) has looked after her in lead-ups, but she’s peaked now and ideally we’ll see her driven like the best horse.” Amore Vita has been well supported to win the 2YO Fillies Final. Picture: Stuart McCormick Spellbound has cruised through her heat and semi with soft wins, which has been exactly what Purdon hoped. “I spoke with Stuey (McDonald, driver) about wanting her to do nothing more than she has to through the qualifiers and he’s done exactly that,” he said. “For three to four weeks I wasn’t overly happy with her, but past two weeks given me the feel she’s as good as she can be again and that’s exciting. “I don’t we need to burn out from the wide draw, just keep working forward. If he she finds the front then great, if not, then she can still control the race from outside them. “It looks like she and Maajida are the class runners and it helps Maajida has drawn inside the back row and needs some luck with traffic.” In other stable news, Australia’s champion mare Amazing Dream won’t race again before the Group 1 Ballarat Cup on January 22. “We just gave her a week off after Cranbourne. She’s had a lot of brutal races going into it from bad draws before that and it was just starting to catch-up with her a little,” Purdon said. “We’ll get her ready for Ballarat and then onto the Hunter Cup (February 5).” Purdon is optimistic Amazing Dream may stay Down Under long enough for a crack at the Ladyship Mile and maybe Miracle Mile at Menangle in late February/early March “There’s no departure date yet and those races are getting closer. I’d love to get her up to a Ladyship Mile,” he said. First time in a while I've been a bit nervous going into the first as favorite. With the run should be very hard to beat, go Foo (Spellbound) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robalan Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Nathan Purdon has leapt out of the ground as a trainer in Australia. He didn't even hold a trainers licence here in New Zealand 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 2 hours ago, Robalan said: Nathan Purdon has leapt out of the ground as a trainer in Australia. He didn't even hold a trainers licence here in New Zealand Trained a Group 1 winner here years ago with Ohoka Punter (part owned by his Uncle Tony Herlihy) who defeated the NZ great Christen Me and Dexter Dunn in the 'Blacks A Fake' G1.. Nathan's pedigree says he will be a fine Trainer lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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