Racing: Purdon should finish year well

Sleepy Tripp will find the company much easier at Alexandra Park tonight. Photo / Greg Bowker

Champion trainer Mark Purdon is on a hiding to nothing at Alexandra Park today.

Purdon and training partner Grant Payne take 22 horses to the rare Alexandra Park day-time meeting but even if their day exceeds all expectations they won't be able to match this day last year when they trained an incredible seven winners.

Adding to the pressure is the fact that the stable's two open-class stars, pacer Sleepy Tripp and trotter I Can Doosit, are returning from huge runs in Australia last start and will be expected to win their races.

And on top of that many of the team are bouncing back from a slight virus which has dulled various runners in recent weeks.

"We had a slight bug through some of the team earlier in the month but I expect them to go better this week," said Purdon.

"They seem to have got over it and having the extra time between this meeting and the last one here 14 days ago was a help."

Since the Purdon army last marched on Alexandra Park, both Sleepy Tripp and I Can Doosit shone without winning against Australia's best in Melbourne.

Sleepy Tripp was a gutsy second to Mr Feelgood in the Victoria Cup from a second-line draw, a performance which will see him start a warm favourite in the Manukau Cup today.

"He was very good at Melton and I think this race being 2700m will help," said Purdon.

"He has come through the trip well and he has to be hard to beat."

Sleepy Tripp clashes with the in-form Brendon Hill stablemates Power Of Tara and Tennis Ball, but if he races up to his last start he should still win, even though Alexandra Park hasn't always been his favourite track.

As well, Purdon has a handy backup in Highview Tommy.

I Can Doosit was luckless against a strong crop of Australian open-class trotters when he galloped in the Grand Prix, making up an enormous amount of ground for fifth. Had he not made that mistake the way the race panned out he could have beaten dual Interdominion champion Sundon's Gift, so he is now rightly confirmed as New Zealand's best trotter.

But reputation will count for nothing in today's $80,000 National Trot, with barrier one a potential nightmare for the 5-year-old.

"He has never been that fast out from behind the gate and there is a fair bit of gate speed outside him," said Purdon. "I am sure we will get crossed at the start and then it is a matter of getting away from the markers because he is not really a horse suited to be locked away there.

"He is very well, though, and can win. We just might need a few things to go right early."

That brings last Friday's superb Cambridge winner Stylish Monarch right into play, with Sovereignty and even Ima Gold Digger, who can be forgiven for being slightly disappointing after burning early but not being able to wrest the lead at Cambridge.

While Purdon will produce the two favourites in the open-class features, he faces huge tasks in the richest races of the day, having mainly second-line or wide draws in the age group features.

"Major Mark has really been dealt a blow drawing the second line with Gold Ace drawn so well so we are going to need a lot of luck there," said Purdon of the Sales Series Pace.

His 3-year-old fillies, who were so promising at two last season, have yet to do enough this term to suggest they can test Bettor Cover Lover or Carabella in the Sires' Stakes Championship.

Purdon debuts two juveniles in the latest heat of the Young Guns series.

But while they have drawn well they face two rampant babies in Franco Hemmingway and Chancellor Cullen, while Hawthornden appeals as the best each-way chance there.

"It is going to be a hard day to win races, but I think Lewis Hamilton [race four] will go a lot better than he did last start and he has a good chance."