Purdon pair on song for Queensland tilts

By Jordan Gerrans

Co-trainer Nathan Purdon says impressive three-year-old Rubira is nearing his peak fitness as he begins his Queensland winter campaign at Albion Park on Saturday evening.

Kiwi Rubira was one of three invite acceptors this week for the upcoming The Rising Sun alongside The Janitor and Fate Awaits.

Unbeaten in three trips to the races this season, Rubira gets his first taste of Australian racing on Saturday night over 1660 metres in what shapes as a big Queensland campaign for the Purdons. 

The father-and-son training team of Mark and Nathan have sent Rubira and Inter Dominion trotting hopeful Oscar Bonavena across the ditch. 

Local reinsman Adam Sanderson has looked after the pair before Nathan arrived in town earlier this week. 

Nathan commended Sanderson for the job he has done with the two horses since they have been under his care. 

Nathan says Rubira is about 90 per cent fit ahead of Saturday’s assignment.

“I think he is a pretty smart horse and he has really come on with it since he went up to Alexandra Park and put those few wins together back-to-back,” the co-trainer said.

“He seems to have improved from it. He seems, coming over, as a good winning chance, I would hope.

“His trial was good, he would have come on from it as he had a good blow after it, which we thought he would.

“He has not been in work long too hard from the trial to this race so we will just let this race pick him up for the bigger things to come.”

Rubira and Oscar Bonavena have both trialled with Sanderson in the bike ahead of Saturday. 

The 36-year-old leading local reinsman will drive the pair on Saturday night and will remain onboard until Mark Purdon lobs in the Sunshine State in the coming weeks. 

“They’ve just been awesome and really easy to deal with” Sanderson said.

“Rubira felt terrific in the trial and those two that beat him home are genuine open class horses. To finish on their backs and feel good doing it was a positive.”

Rubira will follow the traditional Derby path through the Queensland Constellations with a stop at the Group 1 The Rising Sun along the way. 

The seven-time career winner from just 12 attempts will appreciate receiving an inside starting position as a three-year-old in the $300,000 event. 

“It will be a big help for him drawing the inside,” co-trainer Nathan said.

“He is going to draw well; he has got really good gate speed. He is going to put himself in the right spot.

“He is a good chance of running in the top three if he can get a cozy trip and he doesn’t have to do too much.”

Following the Group 1 Queensland Derby in the middle of July, Rubira is likely to head home for a tilt at the New Zealand Derby later in the year. 

The Purdon name is synonymous with the Inter Dominion series and that is where Oscar Bonavena is headed during the carnival. 

Now a nine-year-old with more than $1.4 million in career stakes, Sanderson faces a second line draw on Saturday in the Tony Veivers Memorial Trot ahead of his ‘ID’ assignments.

“He seems great, he is in really good order,” Nathan said of Oscar Bonavena. 

“I do not think he is far away from being where he needs to be. He has been up for quite a long time, but he has had little freshen ups along the way.

“He has got a lot of base fitness to use and he is going into this race pretty much as well as good as what he could be.”

Meanwhile, Cardigan Dan claimed the inaugural Durham Park 2YO Rising Star at Ballarat on Thursday night and booked a ticket north. 

The Emma Stewart-trained youngster was driven by Kate Gath to secure a coveted spot in next month’s $500,000 Protostar in Queensland.