Racing: No room for brotherly love

By MICHAEL GEURIN

Mark Purdon is looking forward to seeing his brother Barry at Alexandra Park tonight - with about 1000m to run in the City Of Auckland Free-For-All.

The younger of the two brothers who dominate the trainers' premiership is back in Auckland campaigning a sizeable team for the first time since his shock move to Canterbury in April.

And he has brought his most serious firepower in the form of New Zealand's new pretender for the crown of pacing, Young Rufus.

The former rogue three-year-old went into last month's New Zealand Cup carnival big on reputation but small on manners. He emerged rated by many as the best pacer in New Zealand after two stunning free-for-all wins.

The latter, and his latest start, was in the New Zealand Free-For-All four weeks ago when he downed established greats Kym's Girl, Yulestar and Holmes D G.

Tonight Holmes D G, trained and driven by Barry Purdon, looms as Young Rufus' only real danger in the $75,000 ITM Building-sponsored Free-For-All.

Holmes D G, fresh from his head second to Kym's Girl in last Saturday night's Treuer Memorial, looks a certain leader from barrier two and, with many of his opponents not in open-class, it is unlikely there will be much mid-race pressure.

Until little brother Mark turns up to look big brother Barry in the eye.

Mark is still wary of Young Rufus' early manners, and is therefore reluctant to push him through any gaps early in tonight's group-one feature.

"He has been a bit funny and could have preferred drawing anywhere on the front line rather than in the middle of the second line," says Mark Purdon.

"So I will probably end up settling back, and with not many horses there likely to take on Holmes D G, I think we will be around to have a look at him at some stage."

That could mean Holmes D G leading with a lap to go and Young Rufus sitting on his outer.

So, is the new kid on the open-class block good enough to sit outside a millionaire pacer of Holmes D G's calibre and beat him?

"I think he can. It wouldn't be easy and I am not saying we will go, but he can," says Mark.

Young Rufus has had only one trial since he last raced. He swung sideways in a standing start at Rangiora and took no real part, yet his trainer-driver says he will be ready for tonight.

"He is about 95 per cent as ready as he was when he won the Free-For-All, with that little bit of improvement left in him for the Auckland Cup.

"His chances tonight will be dictated a little by the pace, and obviously Holmes D G is a great horse. But he has had some hard racing in the past month, and if he is even slightly tired or below his best, then we are up to beating him."

While a match-race between Holmes D G and Young Rufus over the last lap would be enthralling, the former still has to be the more favoured tonight.

He will almost certainly lead, from where it is impossible to be unlucky, while Young Rufus will need t things to go a little in his favour and then still sit parked to beat the favourite. That is a big ask - after all, Yulestar couldn't sit outside Holmes D G and beat him last Saturday night - and if Young Rufus can do it, he must be undoubtedly be rated New Zealand's best pacer.

Outside the two glamour pacers, Homin Hosed looks ideally placed for the trifectas as he is drawn to settle on Holmes D G's back. Franklin Cup quinella-mates Flight South and Facta Non Verba are also place chances. Pic Me Pockets is the bolter, depending on what trip Tony Herlihy can secure for him from the outside of the front line.

Although Mark Purdon is looking forward to bringing a strong team back to Alexandra Park, he admits to being worried about one of them - mammoth trotter Dependable.

The former two- and three-year-old of the year has burned punters every start but one this season, and Purdon says he does not know what to expect from him in the first leg of Pick Six tonight.

"We all know how good he is but he is a funny horse, and he hasn't been trotting all that well right-handed since I brought him up here.

"On his best behaviour he will be very hard to beat but I wouldn't make any guarantees."

With that in mind, Purdon rates Braeside Star (race nine) his best chance tonight after Young Rufus.

The greatly improved mare did not get a run last start but is drawn to settle handy tonight in a race where favourites Sparks A Flyin and Homin The Shade both have tough draws.