Ross Purcell would love nothing more than to win a Jerilderie Cup, and it appears he will have his best chance yet on Saturday.
Racing the in-form Zarsupreme, Purcell believes the ten-year-old is going well enough to get the job done in the 1400m event, which, this year, is named in honour of the late Phillip Sweeney.
“He has to be a good chance on his form, and a bit of form has come out of his recent races,” Purcell said.
“We’ll have him ready to go, and if he wins, it will mean a hell of a lot for myself and the owners, and if he does win, I don’t care if he never wins another race.”
Zarsupreme is a 76-start veteran with eight wins and 11 placings under his belt, but the Zariz gelding has been racing in career-best form since returning from a freshen-up in July.
With Holly Durnan in the saddle, Zarsupreme won the Battlers Cup Benchmark 50 (1300m) at Wagga on July 24 before backing up and winning the Benchmark 50 (1400m) at Berrigan on August 26.
Last time out, he had Ruby Haylock on board, and despite racing wide, he was beaten half-a-length when finishing second in the Griffith Cup (1350m) on September 9.
“I had him set for the Battlers Cup, and I thought he was a good thing in it, but when I saw the track, I wasn’t as sure as he doesn’t like heavy tracks, but Holly rode him a treat and had him travelling exactly where I asked her to have him,” Purcell said.
“She rode him well at Berrigan, too, and Ruby, who rode him the other day at Griffith, got caught a bit wide, and it was the situation of the race, but it was still a good ride, and he finished pretty close.”
Durnan is back on deck at Jerilderie, and while the old stager looks a big chance, Purcell said it was an open race.
“It’s a bloody open race,” Purcell said.
“I could pick four horses and not get the winner; the thing of Peter Morgan’s (Unique Prince) will take some beating, and Mick Travers has Blessed Award, and he is having a good run.
“There are a couple that might go to Tatura, and Tullys Gold was second-up the other day at Griffith and ran third to us, and you’d have to think it will be better for the run.”
From gate four, Purcell is expecting Zarsupreme to get the run of the race.
“It’s good to draw well with him because if you’re wide, you need to decide to go forward or back,” Purcell said.
“We’ll look to be positive; he seems to race well if you are positive early, but I don’t want him to lead, and hopefully, he can get a trail on a few that go forward and get a nice cart into the race.”
Purcell, who took over training the late Phillip Sweeney’s horses earlier this year, has a big team of eight going around on Saturday.
While Zarsupreme headlines the stable’s chances in the $22,000 Jerilderie Cup, Purcell will start Hi Poppy (Emma Ly), Swing City (Josh Richards), Marantelli Miss (Holly Durnan), and Credere (Simon Miller) in the 1000m Maiden Plate, Mr Brown Fox (Holly Durnan) in the 1000m Benchmark 58 Handicap, Zofferella (Holly Durnan) in the 1200m Benchmark 45 Handicap, and Shallelujah (Teighan Worsnop) in the 1300m Maiden Handicap.
“I’d like to think he (Zarsupeme) is my best chance, but it’s going to be a tough race, and we have a few starters in the maiden and Swing City will be a chance and Marantelli Miss should run a good race,” Purcell said.
“Mr Brown Fox only has to find his old form, and being at home, he’d be hard to beat.”
Jerilderie is set to host a good country ace meeting, with 70 acceptances on the six-race non-TAB program.
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