Racing: Venus Serena faces tough test

Venus Serena. File photo / Sarah Ivey

Venus Serena's season could be about to get a bit tougher.

The superstar pacing filly has a Harness Jewels, Sales Series Pace, filly of the year title and national mile record to her name and will be a warm favourite in the first group one of Auckland Cup Week at Alexandra Park this Friday.

But the draw for the $125,000 Pascoes Northern Oaks suggests she is going to have to earn the classic the hard way. She will start from barrier six in the 2700m mobile and while that is no disaster, key rival Snooki has drawn inside her at three.

And inside her are speedsters Rocknroll Arden and Charleston Belle, which reduces the likelihood of Venus Serena and John Dunn leading for fun and dominating the Oaks.

Add in national 1700m record holder Ideal Belle, who will have a new driver in Zac Butcher on Friday and Lancewood Lizzie and the Oaks has plenty of depth.

Small but hot fields are the flavour of the night, with the Northern Derby prelude drawing only seven starters but four of them are group one winners, as well as the exceptional pair of Locharburn and Aldo Rossi.

The night's feature trot and pace are affected by the group one racing at Menangle on Sunday, with Prime Power's open class debut the main talking point in the trot.

He pleased trainer Todd Mitchell in his trial at Cambridge last Saturday and with the likes of Irish Whisper and Stent in Sydney, he will be short odds to down his older rivals.

While an even field of Alexandra Park favourites like Pembrook Benny, Easy On The Eye and Besotted, headline the $50,000 City Of Auckland Free-For-All, interest will centre on how Saveapatrol handles the big time, which may decide whether he tackles Friday week's Auckland Trotting Cup.

Although the credentials of those pacers are not to be dismissed lightly, the Cup winner could just as likely be racing at Menangle on Sunday.

Six of the Interdom Final field are nominated for the Auckland Cup, as well as Ladyship Mile hot favourite Adore Me and Chariots Of Fire contenders Elios and Franco Nelson.

None of their connections will make a Cup start decision until after they race on Sunday, but trainer Mark Purdon says Smolda and Adore Me could be there. Smolda heads the Cup betting at $3.50, ahead of Terror To Love at $4.50 and Adore Me at $5.