Racing: Top pacing fillies to face off

It is time for Western Dream to grow up.

And that could spell bad news for arch-rival Tosti Girl in tonight's opening race at Alexandra Park.

The country's two best pacing fillies clash in a sizzling start to harness racing's biggest night of the year, a $20,000 heat of the Nevele R series.

Western Dream has not raced since a fighting fifth behind Tosti Girl in the Great Northern Oaks on December 27 and the latter has since won the New South Wales Oaks.

One of them will win tonight and trainer-driver Tony Herlihy knows Western Dream must make the most of drawing inside Tosti Girl.

"I know I haven't tried to use her early in her races much before but she has to start showing some gate speed now," said Herlihy.

"She is a great stayer but it is often a lot easier to be handy in these races and I think tonight is her chance to show that."

Western Dream suggested she is back to race-winning form with a strong performance behind Alta Serena in workouts last week.

"She may not be 100 per cent up to her best tonight but she is close enough to win. But Tosti Girl will be hard to beat."

Tosti Girl's connections also want to win to free their filly up for a trip to Australia for the Victoria and Tasmanian Oaks.

"I'd love her to win this week so we knew she was definitely in the Nevele R final and then we wouldn't have to worry about qualifying for it when she gets back from Australia," said co-trainer John Green.

* A boring pole added to his gear may be all Gotta Go Cullen needs to become the Pick6 anchor tonight.

The exceptional juvenile pacer has drawn the ace in the $30,000 Cardigan Bay Stakes and on the results of the season so far would only have to avoid bad luck to win.

He has at times looked mentally immature but driver Nicole Thorn believes the boring pole will keep him on a straight path.

"I think it will really help and he could even be better than the last time he raced," said Thorn.

That was three weeks ago when Gotta Go Cullen came from the outside of the second line to beat many of tonight's opposition with ease.

He will not want to make an early mistake though, as Washakie, Christian Warrior and Cast Adrift are all racing well and their drivers will be looking for an early chinks in the favourite's armour.