Racing: Napoleon good tip for Pick6

Napoleon returns to what he does best at Cambridge tonight - sprinting - and that could be the tip punters need at they chase the $75,000 Pick6.

While open-class horses are a rarity at Cambridge on a Thursday night, tonight's $10,000 feature has drawn four Auckland Cup contenders, with Napoleon joined by Presido, V For and Country Ways.

Presido dominates the TAB fixed-odds market, but Napoleon's trainer-driver, Barry Purdon, says it may not be that easy for the favourite.

"I have plenty of respect for Presido but I still think we are in with a chance of beating him," said Purdon.

His confidence is understandable as Napoleon is one of New Zealand's sharpest sprinters, working his way up from maidens to open class with some dazzling sprint displays as a 3-year-old.

He then missed nearly two seasons of racing and Purdon says that break could have been behind his last-start failure in the Franklin Cup.

"After having that long away from the track, I think the hard racing he had at the New Zealand Cup carnival caught up with him.

"But I have freshened him up since and he is ready to run a quick 1700m."

Purdon's biggest concern is drawing barrier seven, outside Presido (five) and track specialist V For (six), who also has a fine sprint record.

Presido cost punters plenty when he galloped after casting a shoe in the Manukau Cup last Friday but trainer Lew Driver said the 4-year-old was not harmed in the incident.

He also has the services of Colin De Filippi, who is leading the drivers' premiership after starting the season in career-best form.

That race is the feature of the night, but the Pick6 anchor should come a race earlier in No More Gold.

The gelding has transformed from punters' enemy to local favourite since Todd Mitchell started driving him this season, and he can overcome the 30m handicap in race five.

Victory would earn No More Gold a start against the open-class trotters at Cambridge next week.