KEY POINTS:
Harness racing glory is a hard treasure to find during the winter months but a rare nugget of it goes up for grabs at Alexandra Park tonight.
The final premier meeting of the season features a $100,000 juvenile race and the Reg Clapp Winter Cup but the most important battle of the night could come in the $35,000 Nevele R Northern Breeders Stakes.
The race brings together a mixed band of trotting mares but at least three of them are racing for far more than just the winning stake.
It has been a disappointing season for the 4-year-old trotting mares, with last season's best fillies Shirley Temple, Jazmin Alicia and Gold Star having struggled on the track or away from it.
That has left no clear-cut winner of the 4-year-old trotting mare of the year title, an award which carries great financial benefit for decades to come as it spices up the pages of a yearling sales catalogue.
While Gold Star and Jazmin Alicia are in tonight's field neither could win the mare of the year title but three of their rivals - La Femme D'Argent, Calamity Gal and possibly Starcus - could.
All three have emerged from a mediocre bunch in the past few months and with HOTY voters having short memories victory in tonight's group three race may be enough to secure the title.
That would cap a remarkable rise for La Femme D'Argent, who was a maiden two months ago and whose brother, Sovereignty, is certain to win 3-year-old trotter of the year.
La Femme D'Argent has inherited the family ability but still has plenty to learn so will need to do things right tonight, suggesting her inside barrier draw is not perfect.
But she has the luxury of all the other mares on the front line starting off the unruly, giving her enough room to possibly make a clean get away.
If she does that then it is her race to lose.
The big danger could be Calamity Gal, who was a last-start seventh in Springbank Richard's division of the Jewels.
"I thought she was all good that day considering she was having only her ninth start.
"She has come through that well and I think she has to be hard this week because she is not badly off in the handicaps," said co-trainer Barry Purdon.
"I wouldn't be surprised the way she has improved this mare if she ended up close to open class next season."
Starcus beat a similar field when able to lead two starts ago but has been punished with a 20m handicap for that, suggesting she will need luck or some earlier gallopers among her rivals tonight.
While the trotting mares' race carries some extra motivation tonight, Purdon's charge Kobe Bryant has $100,000 reasons to attempt a winning debut in the Sales Series Pace.
He had worked and trialled well until suffering a small setback recently and goes into tonight's race short on experience.
"He is a nice horse and could win it but Mark's [Purdon] horse [Eye For An Eye] is the one to beat," he said.
The Purdon brothers clash again in race nine, where Mark lines up Ohoka Utah and Barry is represented by The Cavalier in a select field.
Those two, and fellow 3-year-old Roman Conqueror, dominate the 2200m event but Ohoka Utah will start a hot favourite because of the draw.
"He will be hard to beat but I am very happy with The Cavalier," said Barry Purdon.
"The small field will help him and if there is any pressure early he could go close to winning."
* Purdon's open class pacer Power Of Tara has been exported to Perth, where he will race for his New Zealand owners next season.
PREMIER BONUS
* The final premier meeting of the season will be held at Alexandra Park tonight.
* The ATC hosts the $100,000 NHT Sales Series Pace and the Reg Clapp Winter Cup.
* The biggest winner of the night could be the mare who wins the trotting feature, with Horse of the Year honours on the line.
