Racing: Dress rehearsal for big night offers opportunities

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The race before a bigger meeting should always be viewed with caution by harness racing punters but tonight's Alexandra Park event presents some great opportunities.

The 11-race meeting brings together many of the stars who will chase far bigger targets next Friday, including the Northern Derby and Oaks, and the two Young Guns Finals, the first juvenile features of the season.

Tonight's meeting also hosts an open-class pacing sprint which is the next round of Self Assured versus South Coast Arden, and while they don't have a richer target next week, they are getting closer to the $900,000 The Race at Cambridge.

All of which is why intent is so crucial tonight as some drivers will be wanting to head forward and dominate races, seeking to win and earn respect for next week.

But there will be those looking to not have too hard a run from poor draws and give their horse a headache before the bigger targets ahead.

The $30,000 Founders is one of the key examples as South Coast Arden has again drawn inside Self Assured, who sat parked outside him last start but couldn't get past him.

Trainer-driver Brent Mangos says South Coast Arden is fitter for that last-start win and he intends rolling forward at some stage even though, being 1700m, some of his rivals may fancy their chance to roll the dice and not hand up.

But that still puts South Coast Arden in front of Self Assured, whose driver Mark Purdon says he doesn't want to end up parked out and doing it the hard way again.

So Purdon will look to drive him with a sit and swoop late.

Self Assured is still the best horse in the race but if Purdon is happy to drive for luck over 1700m, punters can make a case for looking elsewhere, with South Coast Arden incredibly hard to beat if he is able to roll to the front.

Purdon is having similar thoughts with hot favourite Akuta early in the Derby Prelude.

He has had two hard runs his last two starts so could be conservative at least in the first lap, which may make for uncomfortable viewing for those taking his $1.35 odds.

Akuta may be too good for most but there is enough talent in stablemates Franco Indie and Franco Mac and the free-rolling Beach Ball that Akuta won't want even the slightest hint of bad luck.

The Oaks prelude doesn't contain True Fantasy, who is expected to be back for next Friday's classic, so has a far more even feel to it in her absence.

For all the depth in the field the most interesting filly is Remember Me, back from a luckless NSW Oaks campaign and with junior driver Carter Dalgety taking the reins.

After a diet of Menangle racing and with the blinds added to her gear, she could be a huge factor in the race if asked to go forward, as her pre-NSW form suggested she is the most talented filly in this field.

Tonight's two juvenile races should also be dominated by those on the speed in Kahlua Flybye (R8, No 1) and Seve (R10, No 2), with debutante Beckham coming into the latter race with a big reputation but facing a tricky draw.