First win for Purdon-Ward team "relief more than anything"

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

It's been straight back to work today for trainers Michael Purdon and Alison Ward following their breakthrough success at Addington last night.

The couple had their first win in partnership when hot favourite Itz Kurtus Maximus got home by the barest of margins in the US Captain At Wai Eyre Farm "Book Now" Mobile Pace.

"We're really happy to have got our first win together," says Ward, "but it was probably relief more than anything because he was so short in the market and we didn't want to let anyone down."

It was a nervy time for connections and punters alike with Ward describing the win as "a hard watch".

"It was heart in the mouth stuff that's for sure."

At the start the $1.60 shot was three lengths off them at dispatch and at the tail of the field with a lap to go.

Driver Blair Orange then peeled out three wide at the 800 metres and then had to doggedly hold on to edge out a fast finishing Beautiful Crazy.

It was Itz Kurtus Maximus' first win in four attempts.

"He's not an easy horse that one," said Blair Orange post race, "he's very immature and does a lot wrong."

It was the couple's eighth starter since going into a training partnership last month and their first win after having a couple of recent placings with their handy trotting filly La Venture. Ward has previously had three wins on her own account with Tornado Banner while Purdon has had 19.

They train a team of seven at Woodend Beach, with Ward, who's originally from Perth, coming to New Zealand in 2017 to work for Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.

Today they had two-year-old filly Starlight Crunch back at the Rangiora trials.

She's had just the one start, a sixth behind I'm The Boss in the Group 3 Leonard Memorial at Addington in April this year.

"In the Leonard she went in the wind and was flicking her palate during the running and needed surgery," says Ward, "she had a cyst in her throat."

"The images of it were not pretty!"

As for Itz Kurtus Maxiumus?

"I'm not sure that was the best version of him last night, he is probably deserving of a wee break now," she says, "and we will have a look at him for the grass track season."

Any celebrations of their first win might have to wait to the weekend.