Racing: Purdon stable likely to reign

Adore Me looks a certain winner for the Purdon-Rasmussen stable at Cambridge tomorrow. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Star-studded team should plunder most of the rich pickings on Harness Jewels Day.

The mark of the truly great horse trainers is the effect they have on their horses when they are allowed any concentrated period of time with them.

When the genius horsepeople concentrate their skills on a few, rather than spread them over an entire team, the little things get noticed, problems fixed and invariably those horses produce their absolute best form.

Which is why the Purdon-Rasmussen stable is set to conquer Jewels day tomorrow, because they haven't had one great trainer concentrating on their stars this week but two.

Both Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen are world-class and harness racing's power couple have spent much of the past three weeks with their elite horses, meaning you can expect the best from the best at Cambridge tomorrow on Harness Jewels Day.

And while you will need to put plenty on to win big from Adore Me, Isaiah or Follow The Stars, Purdon's hands-on tip for the week could be a $5 shot.

"The one who has really thrived up here is Prince Fearless," says the master trainer.

"He has travelled well, is eating everything in sight and seems bright in the eye.

"And he has been trotting well, so while young trotters can be funny early, if he handles the first 400m I don't think he will gallop early."

Prince Fearless will be driven by Blair Orange, while Purdon drives Arya.

That horse sense from Purdon is invaluable for punters looking for an edge on a day when the favourites should rule.

Adore Me should start on a high for the stable, while Isaiah gained a huge advantage over his rivals by drawing to lead in the 3-year-old Emerald.

Follows The Stars is clearly better than his rivals in the freshman male pace but will need to be, the question there being how easily he can get into the race and whether second favourite Art Union can hold the lead.

While those three could or should win all things being equal, then things get a bit more debatable.

King Denny looks well placed in the 3-year-old trot and was impressive at the workouts last Saturday but Majestic Time, Mum's Pride and One Over Da Moon have enough to test him under the right circumstances.

The stable's 3-year-old fillies have been a step behind the best this season and could be left chasing Ideal Belle but their 2-year-old fillies and trotters not only have numbers but class on their side.

"With the trotters, Wanna Play might be the most natural and best stayer but Prince Fearless is now our top chance, after what I have seen this week," says Purdon.

But he has no such confidence as to who is their best freshman filly, with Linda Lovegrace, Fight For Glory and Supersonic Miss all standouts in a normal stable.

"I really can't pick between them because they are very even," offers Purdon.

"But the one thing I can tell you is that we were disappointed Fight For Glory was beaten last Friday so we took a blood test and it wasn't great.

"So we have treated her for that this week and I think she will go a lot better.

"That, coupled with the fact she has the best draw [2] might make her the one to beat."

That race is a rarity in that even if the Purdon-Rasmussen trio race up to their best there is enough depth for them to get beaten by a Katy Perry, or even Joanne's A Delight.

But so far this premier season, and particularly in the past three months, you would have made more money betting on the super stable than against them.

Blue wash?

The TAB has opened a market on how many winners the Purdon-Rasmussen stable will train on Jewels Day:
• 0 winners: $101.
• 1: $13.
• 2: $4.
• 3: $2.50.
• 4: $2.80.
• 5: $5 (opened $5.50).
• 6: $16 (opened $26).
• 7 plus: $201.