Purdon said the colt, that was inclined to be immature in a physical sense, had not eaten up satisfactorily for two days after his success in the PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales Pace at Addington last Saturday night.

“I have known he is not a natural 2-Year-Old for some time and he can be inclined to take a lot of himself with a decent run…He is a lightly fleshed young horse.’’

Purdon said that in terms of wise stock sense, coupled with a bad barrier draw, he had decided to give the colt more time to freshen for the Welcome Stakes a week later.

He was sure that course of action would ultimately be in the horse’s best interests, rather than two hard races too close together.

Purdon, mainly as a precautionary measure, got a blood test taken but no significant abnormalities showed up.

The co-trainer, incidentally, also reported that his good race mare Kate’s Bad Girl has been retired after recently breaking a pastern bone.

The capable grand daughter of former champion race mare Bonnie’s Chance (defunct) won her first two starts for Purdon and Grant Payne after earlier being trained by Bill Grice and Tony Stratford in Southland.

Kates Bad Girl is now owned by Joe Muscara who will have a valuable young broodmare because her future lay as a producer, Purdon said.

“She was a nice mare and a good strong type who would have a lot going for her as a breeding proposition,’’ Purdon said.

“She was a lovely pacer in her own right and not without ability.’’

Her grand dam Bonnie’s Chance was a champion of her time, winning the New Zealand and Wellington Cups, as well as the Pan Am Mile and the New Zealand Free For All.

Kate’s Bad Girl belongs to the Cherry Maid offshoot of the respected Seacliff taproot that produced West Australian Pacing Cup winner Defiance, Gliding Light (Timaru Nursery Stakes), Day Command (1:58.4), Anne’s Day ($125,000) and Ada Scott, winner of an Interdominion Pacing heat.

Don Wright