Bettor’s Delight 4YO gives Purdon another Group One cup

Champion harness racing trainer Mark Purdon won himself another Group One tonight, winning the $170,000 Trillian Trust 2023 Auckland Cup behind exciting four year old pacer Akuta (Bettor’s Delight)

After an interrupted preparation the last few weeks with a hoof abscess, Purdon finally got the classy Akuta fit and ready for a hard run 3200m race.

As well as a good training effort, Purdon also produced a great drive, giving Akuta a nice run on the outer, before popping out on the turn and running home best to win comfortably by a length and a half.

“It was a special win, it hadn’t been the ideal preparation,” a relieved Mark Purdon told trackside viewers after the race.

“Full credit to the horse. He got a pretty good trip but he needed it tonight in all due respect, he is just a wonderful horse,” he said.

The Mark and Nathan Purdon team grabbed a quinella in the race with Self Assured and driver Natalie Rasmussen running a bold second after doing a fair amount of work in the mid stages.

“He (Self Assured) did that middle stage work which took a little bit out of him but he went great, he was courageous right to the end,” Mark Purdon said.

AKUTA REPLAY

Akuta paced the 3200m distance in 4-00.5 with a last 800m in 57.1 seconds.

The win of Akuta gave part owner Ian Dobson a decent boost in moral after his superstar trotter Muscle Mountain was run down into fourth after breaking at the start of the Group One Rowe Cup earlier in the night.