The two Down Under Hall of Famers are searching for summer glory in Melbourne.

by Adam Hamilton

Down Under harness racing will get the chance to celebrate two of its all-time greats during Melbourne’s Summer of Glory carnival over the next three weeks.

Hall of Famers Chris Alford and Mark Purdon will be key players, albeit in different ways.

The Victorian-based Alford, 55, is nearing yet another milestone record with his 8,000th driving win just around the corner. At the time of this writing, he was on 7,984 wins.

While Purdon, 59, is returning to Victoria — the scene of some of his greatest moments and best memories — with two of his best pacers for the first time since 2020.

Let’s go local first and reflect on the enormity of the feat Alford is about to achieve.

As he nears 40 years as a driver, Alford has broken just about every record and won almost all major races in Australia.

To give context to the 8,000-win milestone, the best by a Down Under driver is 6,303 wins by the late great Gavin Lang, Alford’s fiercest but most respected rival.

Alford has been Australia’s leading driver a staggering 15 times.

And the 456 wins he posted in season 2017-18 is still clearly an Australian record. He finished eighth on the 2023 premiership table, but still with an impressive 185 wins.

“The wins aren’t coming as quickly as they used to, but I’m still enjoying it as much as ever,” Alford said.

“I think it’s because I’m so competitive. Whatever sport it is, I’ve always been competitive and really want to win.”

That flows into a lovely anecdote about his 13-year-old son, Sam.

“He still can’t beat me shed cricket… because I won’t give an inch,” Chris said with a laugh.

One of the highlights of 2023 for Chris was a brief trip to the U.S. to drive Aldebaran Zeus in the Yonkers International Trot.

It gave him a chance to catch-up with friends like Tim Tetrick and ponder what might have been.

“I do look at the likes of Dexter [Dunn] and Toddy [McCarthy] and think about what it would have been to try my luck in the U.S. when I was younger,” Chris said. “The reality is it was a different time back then. I was driving more than 100 winners a year for the top [Victorian] stable with Noel [Alexander] and Jayne [Davies] and no sooner did they scale back when I picked up a lot of the driving for Emma [Stewart] and Clayton [Tonkin]. I had great opportunities and a family and I would’ve had to give up so much here.

“But I can certainly understand why people like Dexter, Toddy and Andy [McCarthy] have made the move because it’s a tough grind over here and a lot harder than when I first started driving all those years ago.

I’d expect more young Aussie drivers to give [the U.S.] a go in coming years.”

Chris has driven some of the greats of the sport, starting with Golden Reign. They combined to win a string of major races, including the first of Chris’ two Inter Dominion pacing finals in Christchurch, New Zealand way back in 1995.

He had to wait 20 years to add a second Inter Dominion pacing final when he teamed with another of his favorites, Lennytheshark, in Perth in 2015.

“They’re probably the two best pacers I’ve driven, with Tailamade Lombo right up there, too,” Chris said.

“Golden Reign was the first really good horse I drove and he took me everywhere. It probably makes him the most special, but Lennytheshark had plenty of quirks and an incredible will-to-win. We just got along really well.”

Chris will be hoping to add to his Group 1 haul in coming weeks, largely with the best horse he currently drives, star trotting mare Queen Elida.

Purdon said he hoped to be back in Victoria when Alford reached his 8000th win.

“Chris has been one of the greats for so long now,” Purdon said. “We’re a similar age and it feels like we’ve competed in many of the same big races for so long. I remember that win with Golden Reign all those years ago. He beat a great field that year and to do it at Addington really made people stand up and take notice of Chris and Golden Reign.

“Eight thousand wins is incredible when you think about it and he’s still as respected a rival now as he has been for 35 years.”

For all his remarkable success in New Zealand, many think Purdon’s greatest achievements have come crossing the Tasman to win so many mega Australian races with stars like Pride Of Petite, Lazarus, Sharp And Telford, Buster Hanover, Auckland Reactor, Young Rufus, Adore Me and so many others.

Purdon admits to a special liking for Victoria.

“I was having dinner with a few of my staff before Christmas and was telling them how much I’m looking forward to going back to Victoria,” Purdon said. “I always look back on those Moonee Valley days [in the 1990s and 2000s] as the best era and most enjoyable times I’ve had in the game. The racing was great, there was a real buzz and I made so many great friends in all those trips to Melbourne.

“I feel like I haven’t been in so long. I’m looking forward to catching up with lots of people as much as I am the racing.”

Purdon is bringing his two best pacers — Akuta and Don’t Stop Dreaming — and will launch the raid at Melton on Jan. 27.

Akuta, clearly NZ’s best pacer, will progress to Victoria’s biggest race, the $450,000 Hunter Cup on Feb. 3 at Melton.

Don’t Stop Dreaming will race on the same night, but in the $100,000 4YO Bonanza to try and book a spot in the Group 1 Chariots Of Fire — Australia’s biggest 4-year-old race — at Menangle in NSW on March 2.

In contrast to many of his previous Aussie raids, Purdon says he is more hopeful than confident of success.

“I really like my two horses, but I’ve also got huge respect for the Aussie horses,” he said. “Akuta will need to step-up to win a race like the Hunter Cup, but I’m sure he’ll be very competitive and I think the trip will be good for him.

“The gap has closed between our best horses, especially the young ones, and the Aussies.”

Purdon, who now trains in partnership with his son, Nathan, recently expanded into thoroughbred training after buying some yearlings last year.

“It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time and people have asked me to give it a try,” Mark said. “I love watching the races at home on a Saturday.”

But, for now, his focus is back on harness racing.

“Getting back over [to Victoria] will be great and it’d be even better if we could pick up a win or two while we’re there,” he said.