Racing: Purdon trusts Raydon

Barry Purdon says he just has to trust Raydon as the pair venture into the unknown together at Alexandra Park tonight.

Purdon is the new trainer-driver of Raydon, who faces his biggest test yet in the $15,000 main trot tonight.

With Raydon rated an open-class star of the future, the strength of tonight's field may not be intimidating but the sight of the mobile starting gate could be.

Raydon has only recently joined the Purdon-Scott Phelan stable being trained on the Woodville thoroughbred track by Matt Hickey, so, as you can imagine, he hasn't seen a lot of mobiles.

Tonight, he will take on old pros, like Genius, from behind the arm and with the race being 2200m, any mistake will be enormously costly.

"I have to just let him do his own thing and trust him," said Purdon.

"He trotted beautifully in his first start for us and never felt like making a mistake and I think he will be all right this week. But I won't be hurrying him early, that is for sure."

Raydon is a natural free-goer who will want to get on with the job though, so there could be slightly nervous times for his supporters early tonight.

If he was to make a mistake his own stablemate, Calamity Gal, looks well placed to take advantage.

"She has beaten him before and is a good mare so I don't think there will be a lot between them, it might come down to who gets the best run," explains Purdon.

Add in Genius, who is racing in remarkable form for such a battle-scarred old warrior, as well as handy mare Fayanni, and the small field should provide the highlight of tonight's Alexandra Park meeting.

Purdon and Phelan have plenty of other chances to add to their imposing record this season in which they have already trained 14 winners, over half of what they trained for the whole of last season.

Their stable has great lower-grade depth too, with Supremacy (race two), Amboseli (race three) and Zoro (race six) tonight.

"Supremacy is a lovely filly and won well last start so she will be hard, while I have been really happy with both Amboseli and Zoro so they have good chances again."

Purdon returns home from Canterbury for tonight's meeting, thrilled with stable star Pembrook Benny and Power Of Tara heading into Tuesday's $1 million New Zealand Cup.

Pembrook Benny will start significantly shorter than his stablemate after drawing perfectly at barrier three, whereas Power Of Tara has landed the worst possible marble for him at one on the second line.

"They are both well and I think they are exactly where they need to be fitness-wise," said Purdon.

Pembrook Benny has been a consistent improver this year and his last-start third in the Flying Stakes at Ashburton suggests he is a legitimate blowout hope on Tuesday.

"He has taken the next step this season and I think the barrier draw is perfect for him because his manners are usually pretty good," said Purdon.

"But it is a very even Cup and I think there are plenty of winning chances."

Like everybody who has seen it, Purdon was impressed by Kiwi Ingenuity's Cup trial win on Wednesday night while he also rates Monkey King and Australian visitor Karloo Mick among the hardest to beat on Tuesday.

MOBILE MAIDEN

* Raydon will have his first start behind the mobile at Alexandra Park tonight.
* He looks a potential open-class trotting star for trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan.
* The stable has a huge hand in tonight's meeting.
* Purdon is thrilled with their New Zealand Cup starters, Pembrook Benny and Power Of Tara.