Mowbray collects country cups treble
Oamaru junior driver Charlotte Purvis scored her biggest win in the sulky in Saturday’s $14,699 Cromwell Cup.
The first-season reinswoman gave the Brad Mowbray-trained Four Starzzz Shiraz an economical run in the grass track feature before peeling him out for his winning run on the home turn.
The victory gave Purvis her third career win and her biggest thrill in harness racing, so far in her short career.
‘‘It was a huge thrill, words can’t describe the excitement,’’ she said. ‘‘It was my first cup drive and first win.’’
Purvis not only delivered herself a career highlight, but also helped Canterbury trainer Brad Mowbray complete a remarkable achievement.
Four Starzzz Shiraz gave Mowbray a Central Otago country cups winning treble in just five days.
The trainer produced Tiger Thompson to win the Central Otago Cup at Omakau on Tuesday and Delishka to win the Roxburgh Cup on Thursday.
Four Starrrz Shiraz was outclassed behind Tiger Thompson earlier in the week, but faced a massive drop in class.
Despite that he still got under the guards of most punters with his $57 win dividend.
‘’I thought he would have gone a nice enough race, but I didn’t expect to win, I don’t think any of the team did,’’ Purvis said.
‘‘He travelled really well during the running, but he didn’t handle the final bend that well. But once we straightened up and I pulled the cords he ran away from them.’’
Though she was flying high after her win, the modest Purvis was happy to have just taken part in the race.
‘‘I am so thankful to Mel and Brad [Mowbray] to put a first season junior driver on in a cup race,’’ she said.
Purvis took a big leap into the unknown by trading a career in beauty therapy to join her partner Matthew Williamson in a career in harness racing.
Little more than five months into race day driving she would not go back and do anything differently.
‘’I’m absolutely loving it. I just want to keep taking every opportunity and I am just really thankful for everyone for giving me a chance.’’