Rubira to rise against the older horses

By Jordan Gerrans

A three-year-old is yet to crowned champion of The Rising Sun in the race's short but rich tenure and champion horseman Mark Purdon believes Rubira is as good a chance as any to rewrite the history books. 

New Zealander Mark trains alongside his son Nathan as co-trainers and they present to Saturday’s big Group 1 event with the talented Rubira.

The Kiwi youngster was invited into the race before the Queensland Constellations after his classy form back home and is unblemished in two runs in Australia so far. 

He nabbed the Redcliffe Derby on Saturday evening with top local reinsman Adam Sanderson in the bike and the team have now turned their attention to The Rising Sun. 

Following Monday evening’s barrier draw, Rubira will start from three on the front line with $300,000 on offer in the 2138 metre event.

Nathan and Sanderson have taken care of the horse in recent weeks, but the Purdons have done a quick switch ahead of The Rising Sun.

Nathan headed back to NZ after the Redcliffe Derby and harness racing legend Mark is putting the polish on this week. 

Mark anticipates their boom three-year-old will be ‘very, very competitive’ on Saturday evening but admits it will be a much harder assignment than the couple of events he has contested in the Sunshine State so far. 

“It will be a bit tougher for him,” Mark said.

“He is in great form and there is only one ahead of him back home in the three-year-old division, which is Marketplace. Rubira is going to be really competitive here.

“He is in the right place and it is about ticking him over this week as far as his fitness levels go.

“He has got good gate speed, which should be an advantage in a race like this.”

Mark was full of praise of former Kiwi and now Brisbane-based driver Sanderson for the job he has done with Rubira in recent weeks. 

The 36-year-old led from start-to-finish around Redcliffe’s ‘The Triangle’ in their Derby to land the major share of the $52,000 event.

“He was aided by a good drive by Adam,” Mark said of the performance.

“He had the one draw and Adam took advantage of that. He is in a good place.

“From there and the way Adam rated him, you could see he was going to be hard to beat.”

Since The Rising Sun’s inception in 2021, a three-year-old is yet to beat the older brigade.

Leading harness analyst and broadcaster Chris Barsby has predicted the younger age group will shape the 2025 edition of the race.

Rubira will be joined by fellow three-year-olds such as Path To Greatness, Fate Awaits and Jacks Ultimate Fury in the event. 

“I think the three-year-olds are the key here,” Barsby said at Monday’s barrier draw.

“Will it be the year of the three-year-old?

“They are going to prove to be really stiff opposition for The Janitor.”

Sanderson was bullish about Rubira following the barrier draw.

“He was a lot sharper at Redcliffe on Saturday, he was up to the gate and he was real keen,” Sanderson said.

 “I’ve got a lot of respect for The Janitor in this race upcoming.”

As well as Rubira, the Purdons are also in town with Oscar Bonavena for the Inter Dominion series, starting on July 5.

They have been based at Ian Gurney’s Fairney View property in recent weeks and Mark says it is a top place to prepare their horses for their upcoming assignments. 

With Nathan training solo, Amazing Dream claimed the coveted Blacks A Fake crown back in 2021 while Mark has had great success in the Sunshine State across his sparkling career. 

The team also landed the first The Rising Sun back in 2021 with Amazing Dream.

On that occasion, Nathan was training solo and Mark drove Amazing Dream to win as a $19 outsider. 

“It is always nice to come back, especially this time of year when we dodge the bad weather back home,” the champion horseman said.

“It is always nice to get to Brisbane. 

“I have been really impressed with the track here; it is a lovely track and it has a bit of a rise in it so the horses have to work a little bit harder up it. It is a very good set-up.”

It has been a homecoming of sorts for Nathan working his horses under the watch of veteran Queensland trainer Gurney. 

Nathan spent a couple of years working for Gurney about a decade ago as he was learning his trade in the caper. 

“The Purdons are superstars of the industry,” Gurney said.

“It is a pleasure to have them here at my place. For me, it is about learning a few tricks of probably one of the best harness trainers that have been around for many years.

“I am very excited to have them and they are welcome here.

“The Purdons horses are trained to the minute and they are superstars at picking the right horse for the right trip and races.

“They will be very hard to beat, no matter what they go in.”

Oscar Bonavena will start in the first of the trotters ID heats on Saturday evening as he has been impressive in his two Queensland runs since lobbing in town.