By MICHAEL GUERIN
BRISBANE - Barry Purdon has conceded Holmes D G needs a miracle to win tomorrow night's $A500,000 Interdominion Pacing Grand Final.
The champion Auckland trainer says he has never had his millionaire pacer better than going into the Albion Park classic but that may not be enough.
Holmes D G has drawn the outside of the front line and even his gate speed won't be enough to get handy against a front line containing four sensational beginners.
So Purdon says he will need plenty of luck as he attempts to train his first Interdominion Pacing Grand Final winner on his own account, after having achieved the feat in partnership with his father Roy with Mark Hanover in 1991.
"There is no way I can go forward at the start from that barrier, there is just too much speed inside," said Purdon.
"I will let him drop out at the start and that means I could even be last . From there I just hope they go wild up front and if I can get a cart into the race then I can finish over the top of them at the end."
Holmes D G employed similar tactics for a stunning heat win, but only battled when trapped three wide in his final heat last Saturday.
Purdon will at least go into the race with a last-start training and driving victory under his belt after reining Mountain Gold to victory on the Gold Coast yesterday.
The Interdominion Trotting Final runner-up got revenge over Take A Moment when he led throughout in a $A25,000 free-for-all, heading home another Kiwi trifecta.
Take A Moment finished out of the money.
Racing: Purdon looks for miracle
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