By MICHAEL GUERIN
Mountain Gold can still deny Lyell Creek trotting's Triple Crown.
That is the firm belief of training legend Barry Purdon going into Friday's $100,000 Dunstan Feeds Rowe Cup.
Lyell Creek is a $1.35 favourite to win the Cup and become the first horse to win the Dominion, Interdominion Final and Rowe Cup in the same season.
While Lyell Creek was continuing his unbeaten season in the City Of Sails Trot last Friday night, Mountain Gold continued to frustrate Purdon.
He galloped away and lost 30m before staging a huge recovery to finish seventh.
The gallop added to Purdon's perplexing last three months with Mountain Gold as he is usually a good beginner who is more likely to gallop into the first bend.
"There is no reason why he did it so I will give him a couple more stands at home this week, although he always goes away well here anyway," said Purdon.
New racenight driver Tony Herlihy will partner Mountain Gold in trackwork tomorrow morning but Purdon says it will only take a small mental adjustment from Mountain Gold for him to spoil Lyell Creek's season.
"He is trotting as good as he ever has and he can beat Lyell Creek if he does things right. There is not that much between them, although obviously Lyell Creek is a great horse."
While Mountain Gold may have the speed to compete with Lyell Creek, TAB bookies aren't showing as much confidence in him as Purdon.
The defending Rowe Cup champion has drifted to $7.50.
There is huge value for other runners, particularly Sundon's Way who is out to $16, around $4 more than he will be paying on Friday night.
Racing: Mountain Gold could spoil run at Triple Crown
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