HAVING stepped into the breach left by Ciaron Maher’s enforced holiday, popular trainer Aaron Purcell is preparing to return to Warrnambool full time in a few weeks.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On April 1, Purcell will depart the Caulfield stables of Maher, where he’s been the caretaker trainer while his long-time mate served a six-month suspension.
Dividing his week between overseeing the training of 80 horses at Caulfield and 25 from his Warrnambool base, Purcell has also had to find time for family commitments in Port Fairy with wife Wendy and children Isaac and Helena.
He said he was looking forward to coming home, even though he was sounded out to gauge his interest in having a permanent stable in Melbourne.
“I’ve decided to only train from Warrnambool once Ciaron returns to training in April,” he said.
“I’ll be putting my family first. My family have been really supportive to me since I took over training Ciaron’s horses.
“I’ve really enjoyed training well bred expensive horses, but it’s now time to go back to only training in Warrnambool.
“It’s been a wonderful experience which has been very rewarding, as it’s undoubtedly helped my training career.
“I contemplated opening a stable in Melbourne, but I’ve knocked that idea on the head.”
Purcell – who has trained two Group 1 winners and three Group 2s among nearly 50 winners in the last five months – gets his chance for more Group 1 glory when Aloisia runs in the $1 million Australian Guineas this Saturday and Merchant Navy lines up in the $1.25 million Newmarket Handicap on March 10.
“I’m still pinching myself that I’ve already trained the two Group 1s and three Group 2s,” he said.
“I can’t complain I’ve also trained a few other black type winners – if Aloisia or Merchant Navy happened to win it would be tremendous, but I’ve got no complaints with my record.
“I’m just thankful that Ciaron gave me the chance to enjoy such a wonderful experience. My aim when I took over Ciaron’s stables was to leave them in good shape when I left.
“I’ve been very lucky because I’ve had great staff at Caulfield and Warrnambool. There’s some really nice young horses at Caulfield and I’ll be watching there careers closely in the future.”
ROYAL EFFORT
FORMER Queensland-trained galloper Canterbury King captured the attention of keen track watchers with an impressive jumping trial at Warrnambool last Friday.
Canterbury King, now in the care of Warrnambool trainer Peter Lafferty, ran second in the hurdle trial over 2400 metres.
From nine flat runs for Lafferty, the lightly raced five-year-old has won one and ran second on two occasions.
Lafferty, son of late legendary Warrnambool trainer Kevin, ran Canterbury King in a 2350 metre flat race where he ran fourth last Thursday at his home track, before backing up the next day for the hurdle trial.
“We’re trying to keep a lid on how Canterbury King jumps,” Lafferty said.
“Jumps jockey Shane Jackson is really impressed with him. Jacko reported back that Canterbury King is really fit.
“He may make his debut over jumps in a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool on March 15, but he’ll need another jumps trial under his belt on March 9.”
Canterbury King has only won one of his 20 starts; that was for Lafferty at Ballarat over 2200 metres in January.
MO RETURNS
TOUGH jumper Dormello Mo will make his return to racing for Warrnambool trainer Simon Ryan in a $20,000 restricted flat race at Stawell on Wednesday.
The former import won steeplechases at Mount Gambier and two at Casterton before winning a flat highweight race at Warrnambool for Ryan.
He finished up his first Australian campaign with an unplaced run in the Grand National Steeplechase and a second placing in a Casterton chase.
Ryan, a former jumps jockey, said the eight-year-old had returned to work in great condition.
“I’m confident Dormello Mo has improved from last season,” he said.
“I’m a bit up in the air which path we go down this jumps season. It all depends how he comes up. I might take him over to Oakbank for the Von Doussa and then run him in the Brierly.
“I’ve got my doubts that he’ll run in the Warrnambool Grand Annual. I just don’t think he stays the 5500 metres of the Annual.”
From his 37 starts, Dormello Mo has won 11.
BACK IN SADDLE
IRISH-BORN jumps jockey Martin Kelly loved going back home to Kilmore Quay in Ireland to visit family and friends for an 11-day break over Christmas, but he’s enjoyed getting back to work for his boss veteran trainer Eric Musgrove.
Kelly, who has booted home winners in the Brierly, Von Dousa and Great Eastern Steeplechases is looking forward to the jumps season.
“I went back home for the holiday break,” he said.
“I had 11 days break and had a great time. My weight ballooned out to 75kg. I just ate and drank a lot over there, so I needed to get back into some hard work for Eric when I came back. I’ve now got my weight under control and looking forward to a good jumps season.”
Kelly rode the Musgrove-trained Thubiaan to win the Brierly, Von Doussa and Great Eastern Steeplechases.