By MICHAEL GUERIN
It takes a lot to impress Mark Purdon so when he says English Elegance is a class filly that means get on her at Alexandra Park tonight.
The former Southlander makes her debut from Purdon's premiership-leading stable in the $40,000 Ladyship Stakes.
She meets northern speedsters Cold Front, Star Sahara and Braeside Star, in-form southerners Glacier Bay and Noble Strike and Like An Atom, who has been starring in Melbourne even though she is trained in the Waikato.
In a field this even luck usually determines the winner but Purdon believes English Elegance is a class act.
"She is a smart filly who has that touch of class that makes her stand out," said Purdon.
"Tony [Herlihy] has been doing most of the work with her but what I have done with her has impressed me and I think she is good enough to overcome her wide draw."
While only having her fifth start English Elegance should not be troubled by making her Alexandra Park racenight debut as she was a very impressive trialist there last Saturday.
She held out talented stablemate Rare Gem in a class one 2200m mobile in 2:51.2, pacing her last 800m in 56.6 seconds, her final 400 in a snappy 27.9.
While English Elegance is the likely favourite tonight, Cold Front will make sure she gets a testing welcome to the north.
The Jeff Crouth-trained filly has only been beaten once on her home track and will have improved a lot with her fresh-up win here last month.
Racing: Class filly sure of a torrid welcome
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