Harness racing’s greatest trainer Mark Purdon has sacked himself off champion pacer Lazarus for Saturday’s $750,000 Ainsworth Miracle Mile.
And he says putting partner Natalie Rasmussen on the Mile favourite gives all involved their best chance.
“It wasn’t a hard choice to make,” said Purdon, who has driven Lazarus to win two New Zealand Cups, an Inter Dominion, as well as the Hunter Cup earlier this month.
“Obviously our team had a little bug through them last week and they didn’t race up to our expectations, and with that in mind, I want to concentrate on getting the best out of them this week.
“This way Natalie can concentrate on the driving and make those decisions and I will handle the training details.”
Rasmussen is best-known as the former trainer-driver of Blacks A Fake, who won almost every major race in Australia, except the Miracle Mile.
But she finally snared the Miracle win two years ago with an inch-perfect drive on Have Faith In Me, who she co-trained with Purdon, who nosed out Lennytheshark in an Australasian record 1:47.5.
Rasmussen owns the two fastest winning miles in Australasian history, having also driven Adore Me when she paced 1:47.7 winning the Ladyship Mile a year earlier.
Champion pacer Lazarus will be aiming to bounce back from a shock defeat at Menangle last weekend. Picture: Ashlea Brennan.
Her aggressive style, which often sees her launch between the 1200m and 800m poles and keep running hard is perfectly suited to Menangle’s big miles, not that Purdon thinks she drives there better than anywhere else.
“She is a great driver on any track, simple as that,” he said.
Exactly what version of Lazarus Purdon hands over to Rasmussen on Saturday night is hard to predict after his brave but well-beaten third behind Tiger Tara last Saturday.
He was feeling the lingering effects of a virus which a blood report on Tuesday suggests is now gone, but Purdon is cautious.
“The best thing I can go on is his blood report and it was a lot better so we should be able to get a good week into him,” Purdon said.
“And the rain we had overnight on Monday helped settle the dust, which will also help.
“But I will know more after he fast works on Thursday. I am confident he will be close to his peak on Saturday night but there is no money-back guarantees.”
MIRACLE MILE
Menangle, Saturday night
1: Tiger Tara (1)
2: Atomic Red (2)
3: Anything For Love (3)
4: My Field Marshal (4)
5: Jilliby Kung Fu (5)
6: Soho Tribeca (6)
7: Lennytheshark (7)
8: Charlaval (8)
9: Let It Ride (9)
10: Lazarus (10)
Emergencies: Let It Ride, Atomic Red.
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Michael Guerin