Racing: Purdon star may prove bookmakers' saviour

Mark Purdon says while Have Faith In Me is still the stable's top dog 3-year-old, Follow The Stars is a better horse than when he went away. Photo / APN

Training champ Mark Purdon has good news for the bookies dreading another big payout on Have Faith In Me at the Jewels on Saturday week.

While Purdon rates the superstar 3-year-old pacer the best of his three favoured hopes in that $150,000 race, he says Follow The Stars may be closing the gap.

Follow The Stars was last season's leading juvenile and returned the highest ranked of the Purdon-Rasmussen classic crop for this season but he has been clearly outpointed by Have Faith In Me.

The latter won the Sires' Stakes Final in November before Follow The Stars resumed for the season but has beaten him fair and square in the Northern Derby, Flying Stakes and NZ Derby this year.

That sees Have Faith In Me rated a $1.65 for the Jewels at Ashburton with the TAB bookies declaring he is one of their worst results as most multi bets run through him, and to a lesser extent stablemate King Denny in the 4-year-old trot.

Follow The Stars has returned from an unbeaten three-race campaign in Australia, where he was sent to keep fit because the handicapping system suited him far better there.

And Purdon says while Have Faith In Me is still the stable's top dog 3-year-old, Follow The Stars is a better horse than when he went away.

"I am sure he is better now than when he ran second to Have Faith In Me in the NZ Derby," says Purdon.

"He has had those three wins over there and the racing, as well as the confidence boost.

"He is back here now and looks great so he has definitely improved."

While Follow The Stars has been winning his way around Australia, Have Faith In Me has had to be content with trials to keep him fit since his Derby win on March 27, again missing a race at Addington tomorrow night because he would have had to take on Sky Major.

"We will take him and a few others to the Jewels workouts at Ashburton on Saturday," says Purdon.

"It is not really ideal not having a race but it doesn't bother me as much with him as it would some others because he is a gelding and doesn't carry the weight a colt does."

But with Purdon suggesting the gap between the group one winners has closed, tomorrow's barrier draws for the Jewels and then how Have Faith In Me and Follow The Stars perform in Saturday's workout could see the market change considerably.

The TAB will close the Jewels books tomorrow because of the draws and then re-open them on Saturday as final field markets.