Racing: Raydon concedes long start

Raydon will be able to see the entire field at the start of his race tonight. Photo / Supplied

Barry Purdon can't remember the last time he started a horse off a 60m handicap but that doesn't dent his confidence with Raydon at Alexandra Park tonight.

The trotter many thought would develop into the best in the country this season has struggled in five starts, with a cocktail of handicaps and bad luck leaving a sour taste in punters' mouths.

Tonight he drops back into a far easier grade but pays for that with a 60m handicap in a junior drivers' event but the South Auckland horseman is still confident.

"It would be a long time since I have had one start off that sort of handicap, maybe Framalda, but that was a long time ago," said Purdon.

"But I wouldn't be lining him up in it unless I thought he could win.

"He needs a race before the big trot next week but he has come back from Christchurch well and seems happy to be home.

"He had no real luck when he was away but I wasn't disappointed in him and he will get his chance this week."

While the 60m handicap is especially brutal in a capacity field, Raydon does have some key factors in his favour.

There are no horses between him and 30m marker Great Getaway, meaning he should encounter no traffic problems while making up half his handicap.

And he does have the services of outstanding junior driver Zac Butcher, the son of David Butcher and now a Purdon employee.

"Zac is a really good young driver and he will do the right thing by the horse," said Purdon.

"But make no mistake, he is there to win and I think he can."

The numbers suggest Purdon is right, with most of those off the front line tonight trotters of around 3:35 ability for the 2700m, whereas Raydon has trotted 3:25.8 for the distance.

Even allowing for the fact Great Getaway is a 3:30 type trotter off her 30m handicap, Raydon at his best should be good enough to win, unless traffic concerns see him forced over too much extra ground.

After all, champion trotting mare One Over Kenny was able to overcome a 65m handicap on this track just a few months ago, although that was in a far smaller field.

While Raydon knows his way around Alexandra Park, Purdon and training partner Scott Phelan will debut four 2-year-olds as the Breckon Bloodstock Young Guns series opens with a capacity field in the first heat.

While the big field is great news for the ATC and the series, it doesn't make life easy for punters, and neither does Purdon's view on the race.

"I like all of our four but the one who is probably the most forward is Smo, but he has a second-line draw," said Purdon.

"So taking that into account Bettor Sweet might be our best chance this week.

"Still, Ken Barron's pair have looked forward at the trials and Three Nips trialled well last week, too, so it is going to be a great series."

Purdon expects Supremacy (race five) to be improved by her first run back and that gives her a real each-way chance but he thinks Amboseli could need her outing from a wide draw in the first race.

"It is very hard for horses coming back fresh at Alexandra Park this time of the season because they are coming off trials sometimes around 2:50 (for 2200m) to races being won in 2:42, so she will improve with the outing," said Purdon.

BIG TASK

* Raydon faces a 60m handicap at Alexandra Park tonight.
* He has the services of top junior driver Zac Butcher.
* Co-trainer Barry Purdon says his star trotter can overcome the disadvantage.
* Purdon lines up four juveniles in tonight's Breckon Bloodstock Young Gun opening heat.