Racing: Slow reaction at start irks Purdon

Before you consider backing Auckland Reactor to win the $1 million New Zealand Cup you had better read this.

It may just change your mind.

The Auckland Cup winner is a $3.50 favourite to complete New Zealand racing's greatest double come November 10, but trainer Mark Purdon isn't quite as enthusiastic as the bookmakers.

Because while it is obvious his millionaire pacer has the motor to win the Cup, Purdon is starting to doubt his attitude.

Auckland Reactor galloped away in his first public trial of the season at Addington last week and Purdon has admitted deep concerns to the Herald.

"He just doesn't feel like he is going to step away at the trials or on raceday," said Purdon matter-of-factly.

"At home he has been great but when he gets to the track he is very competitive and seems to want to gallop from a stand.

"He actually felt good last week for the first three strides and then galloped pretty solidly after that.

"To be honest, I am starting to wonder if he is ever going to make a standing start horse."

That last quote in particular will send a shiver down the spine of any punter looking to invest big on Auckland Reactor, not only in the Cup but in his lead-up races.

The first of those will be a stand at Addington on Friday week, with Auckland Reactor set to trial again from behind the tapes at Motukarara this Saturday.

"I am thrilled with his condition and how he has come up but if he is not going to step away it won't matter. When you look at the likely Cup field this season there is no way any horse can miss away and win."

Purdon laughs at standing start supporters who suggest getting horses to step safely is a specific skill. After all, he is the best trainer in the country and he can't get his stable star to do it.

"And you look at horses like Holmes D G [Barry Purdon] and Monkey King [Steven Reid] in recent years - they have been great horses with great trainers and they never really got the hang of standing starts totally."

While Purdon has his work cut out with Auckland Reactor in coming months, he has a more immediate highlight.

He sits on 999 career training wins and hopes to become just the fifth New Zealand harness trainer to reach 1000 at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

"I have one horse at Addington on Thursday but she has a tough draw and to be honest I wouldn't mind getting the 1000 at Alexandra Park, because it was my home track for such a long time."

Purdon's 1000 wins have come in just 13 years of training and he will join his brother Barry (2103 wins), father Roy (2021), Ces Donald (1026) and Derek Jones (1011) as the only 1000-win trainers.

"To join that group will be a great honour and it wasn't until I was told last week that I realised Barry had trained over 2000 winners. That really is remarkable and it would have been nice if people had known about it at the time."