Racing: Rising star set to shine

A truly phenomenal performance will often exhaust a young horse, wrecking their season and sometimes even their career.

However, other times it can signal the start of a great career, the first real indication of what lies ahead.

In the case of Collectable, her stunning effort at Alexandra Park last Friday, could prove to be the latter.

The 2-year-old filly produced one of the most remarkable efforts by a pacer of her age and sex ever seen on a New Zealand racetrack in the Caduceus Club Classic last week and now faces the challenge of backing it up in a $20,000 race on the same track tonight.

Collectable started a hot favourite in last Friday's group one but looked to be checked out of the race soon after the start when she was knocked into a gallop that saw her settle at least 12 lengths behind the bunch.

With the 2200m event being paced at a sub 2:0 mile rate, for Collectable to even finish in the bunch would have been incredible but the previously unbeaten filly went way past that.

She finished fourth, just five lengths from the winner Paradise City, and that was after being forced widest on the home bend.

It was the run of a filly who could be something very special, at least for the remainder of this season, with the form of fillies one season to the next impossible to predict.

Most importantly, Nicole Molander, stable forewoman for Collectable's trainer Mark Purdon, said the filly had taken no harm from her brave effort last Friday.

"It doesn't seemed to have bothered her at all," said Molander, who drove Collectable last Friday but will hand the reins to Purdon tonight.

"I thought such a big performance might have lightened her up but she hasn't missed an oat since and when I took her cover off the other day and had a good look at her she looked great.

"So I'd expect her to race up to her best form again this week."

That is a scary thought for trainers of Collectable's rivals, not only in race two tonight but later in the season.

Tonight, she has barrier four and the gate speed to use it, with her biggest concern being Paradise City drawing the ace.

The latter showed great gate speed and determination to give trainer Barry Ward his first group one victory last Friday and is the obvious danger to the favourite tonight.

But as good as Paradise City was last week, Collectable would have almost certainly beaten her had she not been checked early, so the northern filly can be expected to start a hot favourite again tonight in what looks a certain quinella.

With the feature-race focus of the harness racing season about to swing north again for the next month Purdon will have a huge hand at tonight's meeting and Molander said there was confidence in the camp with several runners.

Last season's Harness Jewels winner Joyfuljoy will miss the feature pace after being sold to the United States but that still leaves stablemate Imagine Me as a major winning chance.

Punters should not ignore Reklaw's Chance, who was dominant winning twice here six weeks ago and would only need to race up to that form to be a huge chance tonight.

The Purdon-trained debutante, Leecully, will attract plenty of money in the first race tonight after two impressive recent trials.

"I drove her at the workouts last week and while she has a lot to learn I liked her and so does Mark," said Molander.

Promising 3-year-old trotter Doli makes her northern debut in race nine and while she meets some talented fellow 3-year-olds she looks a horse with a future.

She was initially not rated far behind stablemate Emma Hamilton, who won the Oaks at Addington last Friday, but has taken more time to develop.

Stable maiden Bettor Party falls into the right race in the last tonight, meeting predominantly moderate older opponents so should dominate the betting alongside fellow juvenile Agent Smart.

FANTASTIC FILLY
* Collectable produced a stunning performance in last Friday's Caduceus Club Classic.
* She finished fourth after losing 15 lengths early.
* She meets Caduceus winner Paradise City at Alexandra Park tonight.
* Harness Jewels winner Joyfuljoy is scratched tonight and has been sold to the United States.