Tim O’Connor (HRV)<\/p>\n
The tears flowed for Nathan Purdon on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park, after his speedy mare Spellbound finally broke through for Group 1 glory during a sad period for the family.
\nPurdon\u2019s grandfather, the legendary Kiwi horseman Roy, passed away during the week and he was front of mind after the five-year-old blitzed her rivals in the Alabar Bloodstock Ladyship Cup.
\nDriver Stuart McDonald led from start to finish aboard Spellbound, who speared away from her rivals in the straight to win by more than 11m.
\nThe victory was the first elite level success for the daughter of Art Major, who was the first winner Purdon trained following his full-time move from New Zealand to Victoria about a year ago.
\n\u201cThis mare\u2019s been special to me and she was the first winner we had when we got over here,\u201d Purdon said.
\n\u201cAnd to have granddad looking down on us tonight was very special.
\n\u201cHe was the best. He was a legendary trainer, but he was a better grandad to me, a great mentor and just a champion person.\u201d
\nSpellbound, who has been placed five times in Group 1 events, took her record to 14 wins from 45 career starts with Saturday night\u2019s triumph and also secured a spot in the $200,000 Ladyship Mile to be run at Tabcorp Park Menangle on February 26.
\nA short time later, Purdon\u2019s emerging filly Amore Vita showed she might be something special with a gutsy display in the Garrard\u2019s Horse and Hound Gold Chalice.
\nThe reigning Vicbred Super Series 2YO Fillies Final winner hadn\u2019t raced since that Group 1 victory on New Year\u2019s Eve and had to dig deep to run down the flying Just Hope (Russell Jack\/David Moran), who led for much the 2240m journey.
\nAnd dig deep she did, clawing back the front-runner away from the pegs in closing quarters of 27.0sec and 27.2sec to win by 2.2m.
\n\u201cSix-horse fields, they can be tricky. The lead time was pretty slow and we were a fair way off. I knew as soon as I came out David would start running, which is what he did. He drove the perfect race, but the filly was just a little bit too strong,\u201d driver Chris Alford said.
\n\u201cI don’t know if that’s her go sitting parked like that, but following any speed she’ll run anything. It’d be great to sit on a good speed and save her for halfway up the straight and she’d explode. First up that was a great run.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Tim O’Connor (HRV) The tears flowed for Nathan Purdon on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park, after his speedy mare Spellbound finally broke through for Group 1 glory during a sad period for the family. Purdon\u2019s grandfather, the legendary Kiwi horseman Roy, passed away during the week and he was front of mind after the five-year-old […]<\/p>\n