KEY POINTS:
Mark Purdon was back doing what he does best as a horse trainer - winning feature races - at Addington Raceway yesterday.
The Purdon juggernaut produced the first and third placegetters in the $200,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales 2YO Mobile Pace.
Steve McQueen and driver Blair Orange
took full advantage of a dream sit behind the front-running Roburascal and sprinted powerfully along the passing lane in the home stretch to defeat that runner by 1 1/2 lengths, with three lengths back to Fiery Falcon.
"I was a little concerned about Steve McQueen when I brought him back to Christchurch after racing at the Auckland Cup meeting," said Purdon.
"His first few runs after that carnival were ordinary and I thought either the horse had had enough racing for the season or he had got away on me and wasn't fit enough.
"He trained well on Wednesday leading into this race and I thought today would be the acid test.
"He had a dream run and did no work but he really quickened up and sprinted when Blair asked him for an effort."
Purdon has had to play second fiddle to age-group training king-pin Geoff Small in recent seasons, but predicts he will play a powerful presence in 2-year-old racing.
"This would have to be the best team of 2-year-olds I've had for quite a while. Usually, I'd have one stand-out colt, but this season I have four or five very nice colts."
Dave McGowan knew champion 3-year-old filly One Dream needed an attitude change and she was sporting two marks on her rump to verify that belief at Addington Raceway yesterday.
One Dream is the type of equine athlete every trainer dreams about training - she has speed, stamina and arrogance.
Trainer McGowan believed the arrogance needed "sorting out" and that was achieved on the racetrack yesterday when the filly outstayed age-group opposition to win the $125,000 Nevele R Fillies Series Final.
One Dream has dominated her age-group rivals to the extent that driver Frank Cooney has not "driven the filly out aggressively" to the finish of her races during the past year.
As a consequence, she has tended to loaf at the end of her races, which proved costly in her last-start when narrowly beaten by Running On Faith in the Great Northern Oaks.
Another factor was Cooney dropping the whip in the home straight.
Determined to get One Dream focussed, McGowan trained her in half-blinds on Tuesday, and was staggered by the change of attitude.
On Thursday, he removed the half-blinds and had trouble controlling the filly in a leisurely workout.
One Dream had to be good to win the $125,000 event after settling last before looping the field to sit outside the leader for the closing 800m.
The daughter of Dream Away sprinted clear on the home turn, beating Belletti by 1 1/4 lengths, with a further three-quarters to Top Tempo.
"I told Frank that he shouldn't be scared about turning the stick on her and she's sporting a couple of marks which shows we all meant business," said McGowan.