By Adam Hamilton
Vincent’s amazing three-year-old season has come to an end with fans already wanting more.
But they will have to wait with Mark Purdon sacrificing what would have been a Breeders Crown title at his mercy for the greater good of next season and beyond.
That’s because, in Purdon’s own words: “This could be our next absolute superstar.”
Vincent has seemingly just got better and better the season has worn on.
Many thought his NZ Derby win over star stablemate Ultimate Machete was as good as he’s gone, but Purdon said he “at least matched that” with his powerhouse Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge final win at Menangle yesterday (Sunday).
Sure Vincent has beaten better horses than he faced at Menangle, but to come from outside the back row, be three-wide for the first of the race then parked, and still win dominantly in a scorching 1min50.2sec mile was breathtaking.
For comparison, Vincent’s time matched what My Field Marshall ran to win the Group 1 Len Smith Mile on the day and Vincent worked covered more ground than anything did in that race.
This is a horse with serious X-factor and justifiably drawing comparisons with Lazarus at the same stage of their careers.
Had it not been for being wiped-out in the Victoria Derby when a $1.40 favourite, Vincent would have finished this term a four-time Group 1 winner. He showed a shame the Victoria Derby incident was by subsequently winning the NSW and NZ Derbys as well as the NSW Breeders Challenge.
Vincent raced 15 times this season for 12 wins, a second, a third and that Victoria Derby run when retired from the race.
Heading into yesterday, Purdon was leaning towards spelling Vincent and the greatness of the win didn’t change anything.
“It’s still eight weeks to the Breeders Crown final and that’s eight weeks he can have spelling,” he said.
“I’d rather sacrifice the Breeders Crown than interfere with his four-year-old season.
“We went on the Breeders Crown with Our Waikiki Beach last year and it left us playing catch-up when he came back at four.”
Purdon’s other runner of the big day at Menangle was exciting two-year-old Sicario, who finished a brave third in his final.
He had to sit parked while Divine State carved-out Australasian record splits in front and did a big job to hold-on for third, just 5.1m from the impressive winner Ignatius, who had the dream run behind the leader and won in a 1min51.3sec mile.
Purdon’s focus now moves to Queensland where More The Better will chase the Queensland Derby and Partyon the Oaks.
As far as the Breeders Crown goes, Purdon expects to have “five or six” contest the semi-finals, but that won’t include many of his absolute A-team.
Purdon’s Crown campaign has been complicated by the fact he and partner Natalie Rasmussen will be in North America for the World Driving Championships, which concludes on the day the Crown semis are run.
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