Purdons win another premiership

Press, 31 July 1986, Page 36

Purdons win another premiership

PA Wellington The father and son partnership of Roy and Barry Purdon have won their ninth consecutive trainers’ premiership. The pair failed to add to their tally of 43 at the final meeting of the season, at Alexandra Park on Monday evening, but still finished well clear of second-placed Peter Wolfenden on 32. Ironically their tally this season was the lowest since they went into partnership in the 1977-78 season. Before that Roy Purdon had won the three previous premierships on his own account and with a win in the 1970-71 season as well, he has headed the

table on 13 occasions. Wolfenden, who dropped back in the drivers’ standings this season with only 45 wins, showed he is going to be a major force in the training ranks with his second placing. Maurice McKendry sewed up his first drivers’ premiership with 93 wins, unseating the reigning champion Tony Herlihy by six. David Butcher, third on the drivers’ list with 60, won a hard-fought battle for the junior driver’s title, heading off last year’s winner Anthony Butt. The latter was stationary on 57 for the last few meetings. Former top pacer

Noodlum won his first sires’ premiership with his progeny winning a record $606,569, edging out last season’s top sire Smooth Fella by $28,000. Lordship, fourth on the sires’ list, was easily the leading broodmare sire with stakes of $618,969. Auckland Cup winner Comedy Lad was the season’s biggest stakes earner with $206,305, narrowly heading off the New Zealand Derby winner Alba’s Reign and New Zealand cup winner Borana. Trotting premiership results for the 1985-86 season: Drivers M. McKendry 93 A. Herlihy 87 D. Butcher 60

A. Butt 57 C. de Filippi 54 M. de Filippi 54 P. Wolfenden 45 J. Hay 41 G. Harris 40 P. O’Reilly, jun 37 I. Cameron 34 P. Jones 32 J. Langdon 31 H. Skinner 30 R. May 29 R. Brosnan 28 A. Malcolmson 28 J. Smolensk! 28 C. Butler 26 P. Butcher 25 O. Purdon 25 A. Scobie 25 Trainers R. and B. Purdon 43 P. Wolfenden 33 J. Butcher 30 C. de Filippi 30 J. Langdon 27 D. Jones 25 I. Cameron 24 G. Harris 24 A. Hunter 21 A. Malcolmson 21 H. Purdon 21 J. Smolensk! 21 J. Hay 20 M. and 0. Nicholas .... 20 P. O’Reilly, jun 20 L. Driver 18 G. Hillier 18 M. Stormont 18 F. Cooney 17 B. Buchanan 16 J. Carmichael 16 R. Jenkins 16 R. Swain 16 P. Davis 15 Junior drivers D. Butcher 60 A. Butt 57 P. Butcher 25 G. Wolfenden 24 B. Mangos 16 K. Larsen 13 G. Small 12 J. Stormont 9 R. Alfeld 8 Gerrard O’Reilly 8

LEADING EARNERS Horses Comedy Lad $206,305 Alba’s Reign $199,325 Borana $187,315 Master Mood $134,640 Bionic Chance $133,185 Laser Lad $131,645 Race Ruler $123,498 Sir Alba $118,480 Roydon Glen $118,475 Gina Rosa $108,460 Sires Noodlum $606,569 Smooth Fella $578,566 Game Pride $525,948 Lordship $432,345 Vance Hanover $417,365 Boyden Hanover $386,055 El Patron $317,702 Sir Dalrae $307,581 Gaines Minbar $284,003 Alba Counsel $274,541 Broodmare sires Lordship $618,959 Lumber Dream $483,907 Armbro Del $372,785 Garrison Hanover $351,841 Bachelor Hanover $342,576