By Michael Guerin
Kango may no longer be a one-trick pony, even if it is a pretty good trick.
The mammoth Cambridge pacer used that trick, leading and outstaying his rivals, to down hot favourite Self Assured in the $45,000 Roy Purdon Memorial at Alexandra Park on Friday night, with Heza Sport a close up third on his track debut.
Those same tactics have won Kango a Franklin Cup and Kaikoura Cup, those valuable races just below the absolute best races like next Friday’s Auckland Cup.
Kango has of course run third in last season’s Auckland Cup so he is knocking on the door of a really major open class win and trainer Arna Donnelly and driver David Butcher agree the big horse is getting better.
“He is faster than he used to be, he has developed more speed,” says Donnelly.
“So if he can run third last year why can’t he go better this year. We are going there to win next week, you have to.”
Butcher says that gold medal may still be beyond Kango just yet but the gap between him and the best horses is closing.
“Self Assured and Copy That can’t go on forever and he is improving so maybe next season will be even better for him,” says Butcher.
While Kango was too good on Friday, Self Assured was brave after being parked the last lap and hitting the lead at the 150m before peaking soon after.
“He just came to the end of it and peaked so he should be better for next week,” said Mark Purdon.
Purdon had to scratch Akuta from the race on Friday morning after an abscess burst out and he says the next two days will determine whether the Taylor Mile winner can take his place next Friday.
Old Town Road was a solid fifth after an early gallop and his connections are certain he will improve for the Cup next Friday.
