On Saturday in New Zealand's Ashburton Trotting Cup, Auckland Reactor and trainer-driver Mark Purdon teamed up to do something for the first time since November 2009: win
.
The much-ballyhooed son of Mach Three was making his return to harness racing in the Southern Hemisphere and showed the signs of brilliance that prompted a multi-million dollar sale back in 2008. In Saturday's event at Ashburton Raceway, Purdon held Auckland Reactor off the gate before launching a bid for the lead, clearing just after the :27.3 opening quarter. With a soft middle half of :59.3, 'The Reactor' blazed home in :25.3 to trip the timer three lengths to the good in 1:52.4, establishing a new stakes record in the process.
After being brought back to the races after throat surgery late last year, Auckland Reactor is being pointed for the $400,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup on March 11 and $1 million Christchurch Casino Interdominion Final on April 8.
To watch the Ashburton Trotting Cup, click here.