The features at Alexandra Park tonight could be a battle between training brothers Mark and Barry Purdon.
Tonight’s meeting sees the best pacing fillies in the Peter Breckon Memorial and the boys in a Sires’ Stakes heat, lead-ups to next week’s Northern Oaks and Northern Derby.
The lead-up races to that level of Group 1 can be notoriously tricky for punters, especially as some of the key players tonight have unsuitable draws and won’t be looking for gutbusters heading into the classics, while others are coming off disappointing performances and need to get back on track before next week.
The $66,000 Peter Breckon Memorial was probably always going to be dominated by unbeaten Millwood Nike, but that looks even more likely talking to rival trainers Barry Purdon and Steve Telfer.
Purdon trains Advance Party who disappointed badly for the second time in three starts after getting fired up last start, so he wants to see her taught to relax tonight.