Akuta wins second Hannon Memorial in style

By Jonny Turner  There was one key difference when Akuta returned to Oamaru to deliver his second crushing win in the Group 3 Placemakers Hannon Memorial title. The comeback pacer left his rivals without an excuse when he sat parked and still proved far too strong in the New Zealand Cup lead-up for trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon.  The win was something of a carbon copy of Akuta’s brilliant win in the 2022 Hannon Memorial. Three years ago, Mark Purdon was just as content to sit parked rather than pressed…