"Apart from the cold, that is," she smiled.
Originally, the pair were looking at setting up a stable outside Sydney to take advantage of the huge stakes increases imminent at the Menangle track but Purdon has deferred plans to move to Australia.
"At this stage, an Australian move is on hold," said Purdon.
"I had planned to set up a stable in Victoria and a smaller one in New South Wales, as well as the main base in Canterbury.
"But I don't think the time for a move is right just now.
"So, after examining all my options, I am going to be based mainly in Canterbury, especially through until summer. Then, we will campaign horses in Auckland and have smaller teams heading to Australia for the best races, wherever they may be.
"So more or less as things have been in recent years on the racing side of things."
That is a change of direction from Purdon, who was keen on basing himself in Australia until just a few weeks ago.
But essentially his greatest financial investment is in the Canterbury stables, while most of his major owners are also based in New Zealand and were keen to see him training from here.
Purdon's Auckland satellite stable officially closed this week but he says he will now definitely be racing a team at Alexandra Park over the summer.
"After the Cup meeting down here I will be sending horses north for the summer but how that works will depend on numbers," he said.
"It could be that I reopen a base up there but that is still to be decided."
So effectively, after a turbulent year, Purdon will be training mainly from the same Canterbury base but travelling his best horses to major venues like Auckland, Melton and Menangle to chase the big money.
He will remain in training partnership with Grant Payne this season but if his relationship with Rasmussen endures then it would not surprise to see them also become training partners next season.
Rasmussen will be a welcome addition to the New Zealand harness racing industry as she is an immensely popular horsewoman with the star power and media savvy often lacking in the local industry.
She is also a talented driver and should form a potent combination with the more naturally reserved Purdon.
"Mark and I get on great and I think we will work together well so I am looking forward to that side of things as well," she said.
Rasmussen says she will bring open-class pacer Western Cam to New Zealand with maybe one other horse but the majority of her young horses are eligible for NSW Stakes series racing so they will head to Sydney.
Ironically, she will now end up caring for, among others, enigmatic pacing star Auckland Reactor, the horse whose savage over-racing cost Blacks A Fake the Interdominion title on the Gold Coast two years ago.
