BLAST FROM THE PAST
1992 NZ DERBY: Won by Kiwi Scooter
 1992 JOHN BRANDON 30 NZ DERBY
Kiwi Scooter was rugged the winner of the $150,000 John Brandon 30 New Zealand Derby. Australian visitor Lotsnlots again found the Roy and Barry Purdon - trained gelding superior but ran gamely for second, and the filly Tigerish put up a run that would have won 99 out of 100 races for a gaining third.
The 3:13.6 for the mobile 2600 was the third fastest Derby run - behind Master Musician's 3:13.5 and Winning Blue Chip's 3:12.2 - which was the type of race Kiwi Scooter wanted. Barry Purdon has always promoted staying power as Kiwi Scooter's best weapon and the hectic pace set by Clever Legend and Jimmy Curtin could not have suited him more.
While not the quickest out, the son of Direct Scooter left the gate at good speed and kept handy for the first 400 metres. Some early sprints, including a blinder from Lotsnlots near the 1900 metres, forced him back in the field, and near the 1400m Purdon decided to employ the grinding tactics that worked so well in his win the previous week. "He can get out of the gate quick, but it seems better to settle him. He doesn't run out of gas that way," said Barry. On the corner as Lotsnlots tried to apprehend him, Kiwi Scooter pulled away, and went on to win in very convincing fashion.
Tigerish, all class, came from far back for a close third to win $15,000 and Harmers Choice, while looking an unlucky fourth was apparently not because driver David Butcher said he doubted whether the horse was capable of finishing any closer. Master Blaster a worthy third on the middle night, was taken back from the gate at the start, and was never in the hunt afterwards.
Kiwi Scooter was not an easy horse to handle early in his career, though Barry did not connect it with the fact he had one testicle. "I thought he was a rig. When his other testicle came down, his attitude seemed to improve," he said.
Kiwi Scooter, now starting a spell from racing, is on c8, the same mark as Tigerish. Barry said it was "ridiculous" that after just two seasons of racing and about 20 starts each, both horses would go into open class racing. "It's tough on them. There should be a limit on how farthey can go at this age, say c7 for the colts and c6for a filly," he said.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly
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