Rubira heading to Sunday's Methven Cup

By Michael Guerin

Rubira may be missing from round two of the northern open class pacing spring at Alexandra Park this Friday but that doesn’t mean he gets the weekend off.

Because trainer Nathan Purdon has decided Sunday’s Methven Cup will give him a better guide of where the four-year-old sits in the pacing pecking order.

Rubira was well-backed when he resumed in the Summer Cup two weeks ago but finished second last of the six starters so won’t back up in Friday night’s Matamata Vet Services Pukekohe Holmes D G at The Park on Friday.

“Dad [Mark Purdon] took the wrap for getting beaten last start and said he shouldn’t  have pulled out to sit parked and just stayed in,” explains Nathan.

“I am not saying he would have won as the winner paced a 54 second half but we were thinking the same thing could happen this Friday, they could dawdle then sprint home.

“So we have decided to take him to Methven on Sunday where it should be more of a staying test and we will get an idea of where we stand.”

While Rubira and Mick Konstantin, the horse who finished last in the six-horse Summer Cup two weeks ago, are missing the race has managed to be saved by longshots Lord Delmar and Aquila joining the first four from the Summer Cup plus Doo You Want Me.

The latter hasn’t raced since the Taylor Mile and has had just the one trial and will start off the 10m mark alongside Better Knuckle Up and Jeremiah.

Summer Cup winner American Me gets penalised 10m for that win and joins Merlin on the 20m backmark but that hasn’t stopped the TAB bookies opening Merlin the $1.65 favourite to win the race for the second time.

Alexandra Park also sees a strong open class trot with Higher Power trying to replicate his demolition job from two weeks ago in a similar field with one difference being last-start galloper Hillbilly Blues gets a 10m handicap relief.

Friday’s meeting also hosts four Metro heats, two each for pacers and trotters.

The Addington meeting is strong on age group racing with juvenile Sires’ Stakes heat for both the male and female pacers and the next Nevele R heat for the three-year-old girls.

The Sires’ Stakes boys heat sees Chiggsy versus Tour Party and Coal Fire, the two locals drawing to dominate as Coal Fire faces a second line draw on his southern debut.

“We are really happy with how he is coming up and think he will be peaking for the Harness Million next week,” says Purdon of Coal Fire.

To see Friday's Auckland fields click here 

To see Friday's Addington fields click here 

To see Sunday's Methven fields click here