Obituary Mr A. M. Purdon
Mr Alexander McNeil Purdon, a popular and widely-respected trotting trainer and driver, died in hospital in Christchurch last Friday. After working for Bill Tomkinson, Gladdy McKendry and Vic Alborn, Mr Purdon joined the successful team of Colin Berkett at Templeton, during which time he drove many winners, while his employer twice headed the national list of successful trainers. Mr Purdon went out on his own as a professional trainer in the early 1950 s and in 1953-54 he topped the trainers’ list.
His many wins included a New Zealand Oaks and Ashburton Cup with Zany, the 1959 Dominion Handicap with Annual Report, a New Brighton Cup with Our Tim, a New Zealand Free-For-All and Pan Am Miracle Mile with Master Dean. Other good winners included Smokey Express, Superfortress, Thurber Command, Cloudage, Onward, Double Cross, Grand Charge, Poranui and Game Way.
The last winner Mr Purdon drove was the trotter, at Addington in July, 1980, and the last winner he trained was Toshack.
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Press, 10 March 1987, Page 43
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167Obituary Mr A. M. Purdon Press, 10 March 1987, Page 43
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