But will that be enough to give the likes of stablemate Smolda, fellow 4-year-old star Hughie Green and proven open classers like Tiger Tara, Mossdale Conner and Ohoka Punter a start and a beating tonight?
That probably depends on how much of a start.
"I think he is the best horse in the race and if he steps away slowly but safely he can come from last of the bunch to win," says Purdon.
"But the bigger concern is that when he gallops at the moment he can really lose it, like he did last start. And if he has to catch the bunch up while the other favourites are at the front of the field, that could be a huge ask.
"We have continued to give him standing-start practice at home but I think he is 50-50 at best to step away with them."
Have Faith In Me should be aided by having plenty of room as the sole runner on the unruly and he does have a habit of producing his best in the biggest races - he is unbeaten in his four group one starts. But obviously none of those were from standing starts and if the all conquering Purdon-Rasmussen stable have had an Achilles heel in recent years it has been standing starts.
After all, they have already lost two major standing-start Cups as favourites this year because of poor manners - Adore Me in the Hunter Cup and Smolda in the New Zealand Cup.
Smolda appeals as the logical danger to his stablemate, especially after improved trackwork right-handed this week. He has never looked 100 per cent comfortable right-handed but Purdon says he is happier with that aspect of his training. Smolda was the best of the open class pacers at New Zealand Cup week when luckless in the Cup and the Free-For-All and if he begins well he could get to the markers early, which would again greatly assist him in getting around the track.
Like Have Faith In Me he has at least one question mark over him tonight but he still represents the best each way value in the race.
More reliable options include Tiger Tara, who has the manners to sit handy on the markers from barrier one and has a good group one record, although he was disappointing at Cambridge last Thursday.
Hughie Green was second to Tiger Tara's fourth in that race and has been great from a standing start so again could settle a long way in front of Have Faith In Me.
Mossdale Conner is always a small win but far greater place chance while Ohoka Punter may be driven quieter than usual from one on the second line and looks the blowout hope, along with Te Kawau, who seems happier back in the North than during his Cup week campaign.
Auckland Cup tips
1: Smolda
2: Have Faith In Me
3: Hughie Green
McKendry still upbeat on Hughie Green in feature
Hughie Green's winning run may have come to a halt but that hasn't dented driver Maurice McKendry's confidence heading into tonight's $250,000 Auckland Cup.
Hughie Green was close to favourite for tonight's 3200m stand two weeks ago after his demolition job over many in tonight's race in the Summer Cup.
But the enormous, mainly warranted hype on the 4-year-old wasn't enough to get him home in the Futurity at Cambridge last Thursday, when he was nosed out by a race rival today in Te Kawau.
But McKendry says that second was as good as Hughie Green's earlier dominant wins. "It was always going to be a tricky race, especially us being drawn wide in a small field," he says. "And he hung in a bit on the last bend, which probably cost him the win.
"Still, the winner went well and we had our chance. It just goes to show how luck in the running can be a factor at this level, especially when you get back in the field."
McKendry is confident Hughie Green can use his standing start manners to make his own luck tonight. "He has only had two stands but been safe both times and if he gets away again then it would be good to get handy. But he doesn't need to lead, if the pace is strong he will be just as comfortable following."
Hughie Green is only assessed at class five so would be one of the lowest-graded pacers to win the Cup and McKendry admits the race could be six months too early for both his charge and Have Faith In Me. "I think they can both win because they have that x-factor but those older horses who have been there, done that are hard to beat in these two-mile stands.
"To be honest, I am surprised Have Faith In Me is the favourite because like our fella he is all a bit new to this.
"I would have thought Smolda would be favourite." While McKendry expects Hughie Green to be master of his own destiny from his front-line draw, he isn't so thrilled with his own stable rep Shandale drawing the outside of the second line in the $200,000 Sales Series Pace.
"Every time he races for big money he seems to draw out the back," he said wryly. The unusual composition of the field, with six on the front line and seven on the second, means Shandale won't have a horse directly in front of him at the start.
"But that isn't much good to him unless I want to go forward and be seven wide into the first bend."
The shortened front line plays into the hooves of Lazarus and Chase The Dream, whose widish draws should now be easier to overcome. They look certain to press forward with only Art Form offering resistance to them dominating and if Lazarus can run to the front from barrier 5 the $200,000 event looks as good as over.
McKendry's best drive of the night is Yagunnakissmeornot, who is unbeaten this season and races for a $10,000 winning bonus in race nine, a leg of the $75,000 guaranteed Pick6.
