Racing: Stormont's driving ambition

Leading horseman James Stormont accepts job with powerful stable to reignite his career. Photo / Dean Purcell

The next phase of James Stormont's career looks set for a successful launch at Alexandra Park tonight.

Stormont, already a member of the elite club of New Zealand reinsmen to partner more than 1000 winners, has decided to put the emphasis back on driving after more than a decade as a trainer-driver.

To that end he has joined the northern arm of the country's biggest stable, that of Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, and will wear their colours on two winning chances tonight.

"I enjoy training but I have always loved my driving and this is a chance to try and do more of that," said Stormont.

"I didn't have a lot of numbers training wise and while I am only going to be part of a team with Mark, he has assured me I will get my chance driving.

"I think you are never too old to learn and there is nobody better to learn from than Mark so I am looking forward to the new challenge."

Stormont has been one of the north's best drivers for the past 20 years but with most of the major stables having regular pilots, high-class catch drives are hard to come by.

His move to the Purdon-Payne stable has been facilitated by Nicole Molander, who has been instrumental in setting up the northern stable, taking a step back as she prepares for the birth of her second child.

Molander has effectively been Purdon's second driver in the north and that role should now often fall to Stormont, meaning he should sharply improve his winning tally of recent seasons.

"And I think if you are driving winners then you are more likely to get drives, too, so I am really looking forward to the new challenge."

Ironically, Stormont finds himself with one of his strongest recent Alexandra Park books tonight even away from the Purdon-Payne pair of Arden's Darlin (race seven) and Highview Chartom (race eight).

Arden's Darlin impressed Stormont in trackwork on Wednesday morning and will not need to improve much on her fighting second after sitting parked at Cambridge last Thursday to win tonight.

She has only had two standing starts for a win so looks perfectly placed in a race where Honey Rose Falcon appeals at the logical danger.

Highview Chartom has gone two huge races in her last two starts and also looks a winning chance although she is in one of the most competitive fields of the night and had the added disadvantage of there being plenty of gate speed inside her.

Stormont has picked up the catch drive on trotter Mya Grace in race six and the mare looks the best chance of the handicapped runners to down front markers Diedre's Flash and Motu Young Jacob.

Mya Grace ran on well last Friday and meets her conqueror then, Diedre's Flash, 10m better off tonight so is a must for Pick6 punters.

Stormont also rates Tiger Tina (race five) and Caesar Court (race 10) as winning chances, particularly the former.

She was a solid second on debut and is a grand-daughter of Stormont's all-time favourite Tigerish, whom he guided to a stellar career in the 1990s.

STORMING BACK
* James Stormont is set to reignite his driving career.

* He has taken a job with leading trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne.

* Stormont drives two winning chances for the champion stable tonight.

* He is one of the elite club of New Zealand reinsmen to have driven more than 1000 winners.