By Mike Love
Piccadilly Pete ($1.75FF) will be looking to double down on success at Westport today after winning the Frank Dooley Memorial Westport Cup on day one.
After a dominant performance on the first day the three-year-old Sweet Lou gelding has come through his run well and trainer Matt Purvis is expecting another strong performance today.
“Very happy with him. He showed first up at Rangiora that he would measure up. I was a little bit worried the way the track was playing that he might not handle it, but to his credit he did it effortlessly,” said Purvis.
Again Piccadilly Pete will be driven by woman of the moment Samantha Ottley. She had five winners on the first day to secure 100 for the season and then followed up with another win with Zoom X at Gore yesterday.
Piccadilly Pete will drop back 10 metres, but that does not worry Purvis.
“He’s come through the run well. He’s eaten everything. He steps really good so I’m pretty confident that he’ll back up as good as he went the first day.”
If Piccadilly Pete comes through the run well he may be looking for a West Coast treble by backing up in the Reefton Cup on December 30.
“We will see how he comes through it. There’s not much of him, he’s just a wee fella. But there’s a good chance of doing all three.”
Purvis trained a winning double on day one with Don Juan winning the TRT Builders Mobile Pace.
With six runners in today he looks like a good chance of more success.
In Race 7, the Super Sire Waterloo Sunset Trot Purvis suggests his runner Living The Moment ($3.90FF) may be the best of the rest of his chances.
“She was really good on the first day. She stepped herself into an awkward spot. She had to do a power of work early but stuck to her guns up the straight. She seems to have come through it good.”
Purvis’ other runners are:
Race 5 – Dance With The Boss ($14.00FF) and Don Juan ($13.00FF)
Race 9 – Changeforthebeta ($3.30FF) and Oneloveonelife ($51.00FF)
Race 1 is due at 12:10pm.
