By Michael Guerin
Champion trainer Mark Purdon says he will have to settle for a unofficial workout in place of a race after what was to have been the final lead-up to The Race was canned at Alexandra Park this Friday.
Purdon and training partner Hayden Cullen were hoping to start Self Assured, Spankem and Mach Dan in the proposed open class pace but when the only other entry was Hot And Treacherous the race was scrapped.
Purdon was disappointed by the decision, believing a one-off exception should have been made to let Friday’s race be run even it it only had four starters because of its importance to The Race, the new $900,000 slot race at Cambridge on April 14.
“I would have liked to see them run it because of all the hype around The Race and this being the last lead-up for these horses,” said Purdon.
“I would have been happy for it to go as a non-tote with a reduced stake. But with that not happening now we have asked that the horses can have a workout behind the mobile at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
“Ideally that will be before the first race and they will need a proper hit out so I think we will want to go at least 2:44 or 2:43 for the 2200m.”
Purdon contracted Brian and Gareth Hughes, trainers of Hot And Treacherous, about also joining Friday’s unofficial workout but it looks at this stage they are more likely to head to the Pukekohe workouts.
With Pembrook Playboy racing at Addington, Stylish Memphis and Alta Orlando at Menangle on Saturday and Spellbound flying into New Zealand on Wednesday, The Race contenders are in for a busy week.
Trainer Brent Mangos had already planned to bypass Friday night and will instead take South Coast Arden to Cambridge for a workout on Saturday and then consider returning there next Thursday night for another workout between races.
With Friday night’s race canned, South Coast Arden already heading to Cambridge on Thursday week and Spellbound to be in the country, as well as Krug not having raced for nearly a month it raises the question whether a race should be added to that programme offering at least the possibility of a prelude to The Race.
If the trainers choose not to accept so be it, a workout between races can still go head, but the offer of a race couldn’t hurt.