All Stars’ training operation to end - today’s letter which shocked the harness industry

The bombshell announcement that Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen are to shut up their successful All Stars’ training operation and take a break of at least 12 months hit today.

This is how they delivered the news to their owners this morning just days after training the trifecta in the New Zealand Trotting Cup, ending an eight season partnership that saw them win 889 races and $28.8 million in stakes in New Zealand.

Dear owner,

We are writing to inform you of our plans over the coming twelve months.

There is no doubt that as a training partnership we have been consistently very successful over a number of years and have been fortunate to have trained and driven many wonderful horses including a number of champions who have delivered outstanding achievements.

A significant contributor to our success has been the support and loyalty of our owners who have trusted us with their horses.

However, the success that we have enjoyed also has taken many years of hard work and constant dedication to the task at hand which you are no doubt aware is very much often without any significant holidays or breaks as we chase success for the horses, our owners and our All Stars team.

Between us we have amassed nearly 70 years working and training and driving in the industry without any breaks of any consequence.

Accordingly, we both have made the decision to take a career break whilst we take time to rest and rejuvenate and to consider what the next path our career in harness racing will take.

Our sabbatical will commence on 1st January 2021 and it is anticipated at this stage that we will take at least 12 months. This will mean that All Stars training operation will cease operating on that date.

We are pleased to advise that Hayden and Amanda Cullen will take over our stables at Rolleston and the employment of the majority of the All Stars committed team members.

They will have the full use of all the amenities and equipment including the treadmill and both resistance trainers, the three training tracks and all paddocks and the stable complex.

They will be training and racing horses under their own name, Cullen Racing Stables. Hayden who is widely known to our owners has been actively involved working in harness racing for 20 years.

He has previously been in a North Island based training partnership for 3 years prior to joining All Stars two and a half years ago. Cullen Racing Stables will continue the same high-quality training and care of your horses but will have a different daily training rate.

This will be advised to you shortly and Hayden will be contacting you individually over the next two weeks to answer any questions and seek your continued support to train your horses.

Both Hayden and Amanda will have our support with Mark in particular, being actively involved supporting Hayden in the programming, daily work lists etc. In addition, both Mark and Nat will be available to assist in the barn leading up to key race meetings and selected race days where required.

Mark will also be undertaking a mentoring role to Hayden. It is planned that Mark will continue to select and purchase horses for owners who will be placing those horses with Cullen Racing to train and campaign.

We would like to thank you for your support over the past many years and wish you every success going forward. We also hope that you will support Hayden and Amanda as they embark on their training career just the same as you have supported ourselves.

If you have any questions or need clarification on any point please do not hesitate to contact either of us or Hayden.

Kindest regards,

Mark and Natalie

Allstars Racing Stables Limited