Smolda gives Purdon special win

Mark Purdon is crediting the courage and heart of Smolda as the key to his first Inter Dominion success as a trainer.

Purdon, who trains in partnership with Natalie Rasmussen, drove Smolda to victory in the A$1.1 million Inter Dominion Final at Gloucester Park in Perth on Friday night (Saturday morning NZ Time).

Smolda, raced by Phil and Glenys Kennard, Markus Kirkwood and Neil Pilcher, kicked clear to beat the David Aiken-trained Hectorjayjay by half a neck with a further 7.3m back to former Kiwi and Harness Jewels winner Beaudiene Boaz.

Hectorjayjay moved up outside Smolda and clearly headed him as they turned for home but the gritty Smolda refused to give in.

‘‘He’s such a courageous horse, he never lets you down,’’ Purdon said.

The 2016 calendar year has been extremely good to Smolda’s connections with Group I wins in the Hunter and Ballarat Cups and the Bohemia Crystal but the Inter Dominion Final was the major victory the eight-year-old son of Courage Under Fire so richly deserved.

Smolda, who became the first New Zealand-trained winner of the Inter Dominion Final since Tim Butt prepared Mr Feelgood to his 2009 victory on the Gold Coast, was the first Interdom winner for Purdon as a trainer.

He had previously driven Mark Hanover to victory in the 1991 final at Alexandra Park but he was trained by Purdon’s brother Barry and father Roy.

‘‘People ask have you won an Inter Dominion and I could say yes because I’ve driven one but to train one is huge thrill and on a personal level it really does tick another box,’’ Purdon said.

Smolda was surprisingly bright the morning after his gritty winning effort and he will fly to Melbourne on Monday. His next race will likely be the Group I South Australia Cup at Globe Derby Park on January 7.

Purdon said Smolda’s programme will be finalised during the week but a defence of his Hunter Cup on February 4 is likely.

Defending the Inter Dominion as a nine-year-old next season is a possibility but one that would not be seriously considered until the end of the season.

‘‘He’s the sort of horse that’s given us so much I’d hate to see him race in races where he is dodging the better ones just because he’s down a couple of lengths on where he used to be,’’ Purdon said. Fellow Kiwi Franco Nelson was hampered when race leader Run Oneover dropped back through the field but the Robert Dunn-trained runner stormed home from the back to finish fifth.

Meanwhile, earlier in the evening, Purdon and the All Stars camp were having a night to forget. Mr Mojito and Purdon went back from barrier seven, in the Group I Golden Nugget for fouryear-olds, and were forced to work around the field three-wide.

The effort took its toll and the heavily-backed Kiwi was disappointing in the final stages and drifted back to finish fifth. Soho Tribeca won the race for trainer-driver Kim Prentice.

One race earlier, Purdon and Piccadilly Princess had no luck in the Group I Westral Mares Classic. Piccadilly Princess was caught three-wide early and then could not find a run from the oneone late.

● Meanwhile, Kiwis Robbie Close and Matt Anderson have finished second and third in the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championship at Gloucester Park.

The series was won by New South Wales representative Todd McCarthy (73pts). Close and Anderson finished tied on 71 but Close, last year’s winner, was elevated to second on a countback