After a warning from Shane Tritton and Lauren Panella to their harness racing rivals about Arms Of An Angel being prepared to run another 1:50 mile this Saturday night in the Form 700 Chariots Of Fire, leading New Zealand trainer Mark Purdon has offered his own pre-race prediction.
Purdon’s Have Faith In Me is the favourite for Saturday night’s Group 1 feature after winning the Auckland Cup against the older horses in his homeland on New Year’s Eve.
“I’d be very confident (a mile rate of) 1:50 is realistic from Have Faith In Me,” Purdon said.
“He is certainly the right type of horse to sit parked, it is more his forte to maintain a strong clip all the way.”
When questioned about what time Have Faith In Me could run in the right conditions, Purdon was quick to respond.
“I wouldn’t say he’d do it from an outside draw but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go 1:48.”
Have Faith In Me is the younger brother of Australasian mile record holder Adore Me. The mare set the mile record of 1:47.7 in last year’s Ladyship Mile at Tabcorp Park Menangle.
“You’d think looking at Have Faith In Me, he still needs to mature more, gauging by what he has done to date you’d think if he does improve along the way he’s certainly going to be up with Adore Me.”
While Natalie Rasmussen will drive Have Faith In Me on Saturday night, Purdon confirmed he will be driving in some of the feature races during the carnival at Menangle.
“I’ll be hoping Smolda gets a start on Miracle Mile day, even if it is in the Bohemia Crystal Free For All and I will be driving him. I’m also planning on driving the three-year-old filly Our Dream About Me.”
Greg Hayes