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 towards the lead when taking the reins behind the star pacer.
And just as he did in 2022, the champion trainer-driver stoked his charge up on the home turn before he went on to a powerful victory.
While tactically identical, the build-up into both Hannon wins has been starkly different.
After 20 months on the sidelines through injury, Akuta would have had his excuses if sitting parked had taken its toll this year.
But it didn’t and Purdon was quick to thank former Group 1 winning reinsman Tony Shaw for his hard work to get Akuta fit and ready for spring racing.
Purdon called on Shaw after it became apparent that training his star pacer on the Matamata thoroughbred track, where the trainer-driver is based, wasn’t going to help his progression.
The results of the move to call on Shaw has been Akuta putting his hand up as the early leader among New Zealand’s hopefuls that will attempt to defend home turf when Aussie stars Leap To Fame and Swayzee cross the ditch to contest the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup.
“We weren’t going to get him back working him on the soft sand,” Purdon told Harness Racing Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong.
“So, he went to Morrinsville where Tony looked after him.”
“Tony was meticulous in the way he looked after the horse through his preparation.”
Shaw’s dedication was rewarded when Purdon handed the former reinsman and now horse transport operator a share in Akuta.
Now Shaw looks a realistic chance of hoisting the New Zealand Cup again, as he did when driving Yulestar to victory in the great race 25 years ago.
While Akuta won’t carry the support the two Australians at this stage, he should only become a bigger and more potent force as the spring continues.
“He has still got improvement in him,” Purdon said.
“I know he has had four raceday starts back, but he’s really only had three starts as one was only a tame affair.”
“With the absence this horse has had, you have got to expect it will take a long time [to build his fitness]. “
Dalton Shard tracked Akuta throughout and boosted his New Zealand Cup chances when running into second ahead of Macandrew Aviator.
Purdon was also in the winner’s circle on Hannon Memorial Day with the Ross Houghton trained pair of Midnight Diamond and Incentivise who both cleared out for impressive victories.