Racing: Holmes D G could upset

By MICHAEL GUERIN in Christchurch

Barry Purdon will have a rare case of nerves before tomorrow night's Interdominion pacing final at Addington.

And it will have very little to do with the $500,000 at stake.

After winning more than 2000 races and training the winner of every major race in Australasia - most more than once - Purdon is not prone to racenight nerves.

But when Holmes D G takes his place in tomorrow night's 2600m thriller, Purdon admits the butterflies will be dogfighting around his intestines.

Four weeks ago Purdon made one of the biggest calls of his career when he sacked himself as Holmes D G's driver after five-and-a-half years as a team.

He replaced himself with young stable junior driver Scott Phelan, who at the time had won fewer races than Holmes D G's tally of 32.

But as has so often been the case in Purdon's career, the move worked.

Holmes D G has gone three big races at the carnival and has drawn to get an economical trip in the final.

And Purdon admits he is starting to get excited.

"I am sure he can win," said Purdon.

"Obviously it is not going to be easy, winning Interdominion finals never is.

"But he looks great and feels great and if he gets the right run he can finish over the top of them."

Purdon says his nerves have nothing to do with his share of the stake of the glory of winning.

These are old hat to a man like him.

He will be nervous for Phelan, who has a chance to become the youngest driver to win an Interdominion.

"I just want things to go well so badly for Scotty," says Purdon.

"He is a great young guy who has worked really hard and has done a great job with Homer.

"This is a massive moment in his career and I'd love to see them pull it off.

"So I will be a little nervous, which I am not usually."

Purdon is adamant the 20-year-old Phelan could hardly have a better partner for the biggest race of his life.

"Homer has been there and done this all before.

"He should be in the trail or, at worst, three deep, and when the gaps come he will know how to kick home."

That Holmes D G should be a realistic winning chance in the final is remarkable considering he has looked on the canvas at least a dozen times in his great career.

Just three months ago he was racing lengths below his best in moderate races at Cambridge, feeling the effects of a long summer.

He was at one stage paying $40 to win the Interdominions.

Now he is a $15 chance.

He was freshened in January and is now race-hardened.

Holmes D G has been one of the more consistent performers at this carnival.

Victory tomorrow night would mean more than just another trophy for Holmes D G to add to his 13 others from group one wins.

He would become New Zealand's richest ever pacer, a freakish performance from a horse who has raced in the era of Christian Cullen, Sir Vancelot, Courage Under Fire, Yulestar and Shakamaker.

He has accrued his $1.9 million earnings without the easy money-making wins some young horses get in Sales Series and Sires' Stakes events.

His wins have been earned the hard way, at group one level in both islands of New Zealand and three states of Australia.

* Cancer-stricken Australian reinsman Neville Clarke has been given the all clear to drive in tomorrow night's Interdominion pacing final.

Clarke flew home to Victoria this week to meet doctors after being diagnosed with inoperable throat cancer last week.

And after a slightly more positive prognosis, Clarke will take the reins behind Western Light in the great race.

"After speaking to the doctor in Christchurch last week things looked pretty gloomy and I wasn't sure I would still be alive for this race," admitted Clarke.

"But the doctors over here tell me I have a chance to fight this with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

"I told them I will try anything because while I am not afraid of dying, I have a few things in my life I would still like to do first.

"And one of those is driving in this race."