Purdon Filly Upsets In Bionic Chance Bracelet

Jean Feiss’ eye for a quality yearling was further cemented at Addington Raceway last Friday when the Nathan Purdon-trained Beware The Storm (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) took out the Group Two Studholme Bloodstock Bionic Chance Bracelet (1980m).

Feiss has purchased a laundry list of subsequent top flight standardbreds out of the yearling sales, many of whom were trained by Mark Purdon, and now she is enjoying success with his son Nathan.

Feiss shortlisted Beware The Storm at last year’s NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale in Christchurch and she was taken by the Bettor’s Delight filly when inspecting her among Dancingonmoonlight’s draft. Her bid of $55,000 secured the daughter of unraced Mach Three mare Veyron, a full-sister to Group One performer Northern Velocity and half-brother to Group One winner Pembrook Benny.

Prepared in Pukekohe by Nathan Purdon, Beware The Storm finished eighth on debut at her home track of Alexandra Park earlier this month, and while the result may have looked disappointing, she made an impression on driver John Dunn, who elected to retain the drive last Friday in favour of partnering Ashes Of Midnight, who is trained by his wife Jenna and father Robert.

Dunn’s confidence wasn’t shared by punters, who let her drift out to a $54.70 outsider, but she belied her odds when running out a half-length victor over Nella Keenan (NZ) (Downbytheseaside), and Dunn was rapt to get the result for Purdon.

“Poor old Nath, he must have run over a black cat because he’s had shite luck over the last few months so it was great to turn it around and get some luck,” Dunn said. 

“She’s one of those Bettor’s (Bettor’s Delight) where there was more under the bonnet, so that was great.”

Beware The Storm has now won one of her two starts and earned more than $33,000 in prizemoney.