Two future superstars of harness racing stole the show at Menangle yesterday in the rich finals of the NSW Breeders Challenge for 2-year-olds.
Heavens Trend dazzled in the fillies' final, rating a slashing 1:52.9 mile in beating Hot Shot Woman and outsider Boundtobemad.
Kiwi horseman Mark Purdon was left smartingafter his unbeaten youngster Golden Goddess faded to fourth after a hard run in that race, but it didn't take him long to make his mark on the day of six group ones.
Purdon was straight back into the winners' circle half an hour later when his unbeaten Somebeachsomewhere youngster Our Waikiki Beach scored the strongest of wins in the 2-year-old boys' final, winning his ninth race in succession.
Posted in the breeze for the 1609m, Our Waikiki Beach simply outstayed his rivals, rating 1:53.7 to beat Match In Heaven and El Major by 3.4m.
While Victoria's gun reinsman Gavin Lang said Heavens Trend did not have a lot of fuel left in the tank in beating Australia's best fillies, Purdon hinted Our Waikiki Beach was really ready to go on with things after beating the colts and geldings, with his biggest and best win so far.
"Heavens Trend wanted to put them [rivals] away on the home turn and she is a free-running filly who likes to do things her way," Lang said.
Meanwhile, Purdon said the A$125,000 males' final didn't pan out quite how he thought it would on paper with Our Waikiki Beach forced to do it tough, racing without cover for the entire journey.
"But he was good enough to overcome a hard run and still prove too strong at the finish," he said. "He'll probably head to Victoria for the Breeders Crown next."
Purdon added a comfortable win with Supersonic Miss in the 3-year-old fillies' final, stretching out to beat Ameretto by 5 lengths in 2:54.6 over the 2300m.
Purdon's task was much tougher in the 3-year-old pacing males' final, as Kept Under Wraps was under siege from the top of the straight, but he held on to win by a head over Pompidou for his owners, including Margaret Creighton of Dunedin.
