Racing: Purdon set to break drought

Mark Purdon will be taking two very different routes to try to achieve the same result at Alexandra Park tonight.

Purdon has yet to train a winner on his former home track this season but won't get a better chance than with Galleons Assassin in the Great Northern Trotting Derby and Top Tempo in the $130,000 PGG Wrightsons Sales Series Fillies Pace.

Galleons Assassin looks set to get the perfect trip after drawing barrier two in his group one event, a huge advantage considering his main rivals have all drawn the second line.

But Top Tempo, clearly the country's best juvenile pacing filly, will have to overcome drawing the outside of the second line in her event, the richest fillies race of the season.

"I think the draw really helps Galleons Assassin this week," said Purdon. "He had to sit parked last week and initially I was disappointed he could only finish fourth but maybe I am being a bit hard on him.

"The horses who finished in front of him are all very nice trotters so I'd love to be in front this week and making them work."

That looks almost guaranteed, with Brite Speed the only likely danger to Galleons Assassin securing the front..

Once there he is the horse to beat as he showed great stamina when leading throughout in the New Zealand Trotting Derby and will thrive over tonight's 2700m trip.

"He will be fitter for this week's race as he had a decent blow after last week's race."

Houdini Star has been opened the favourite for tonight's race by bookmakers and was impressive enough after being pressured last week to suggest he deserves that honour.

He follows Galleons Assassin through at the start and looks the big danger, although last week's placegetters Awesome Imace and Mounbatten are still at the improving stage and deserve respect.

While Top Tempo faces what looks a tricky draw in her event it may not be at bad as it looks in the fifth leg of Pick6. She starts from the outside of the second line but there are only six fillies drawn on the front line so she will not have a horse in front of her, meaning Purdon can press forward straight after the start.

In a field with few winning chances that will be a huge advantage.

"Usually in juvenile races it is good to be in the first half of the field by the half way point because it can take bad luck out of the equation," said Purdon.

"So i think we will have to get moving pretty much straight away and she is good enough to do that.

"She took a few days to settle in last week but is back to normal now and I think she has shown enough to suggest she is the best of the fillies we have seen this season.

"It is never easy to win here from a second line draw in a sprint race but I am confident she can overcome it because she has worked hard and won before."

Top Tempo is aided by the fact the only other race winners in the field, Reality Check and Spicey, also have second line draws, so it is hard to see them beating the favourite.