Jason MACKAY has had Golden Easter Egg finalists for the past three years and he is confident Duna Runa will give him the best shot at landing the final on Easter Saturday.
Duna Runa (pictured), who surprised by leading throughout to win her heat in 29.69, has box one in the third semi-final of the Group 1 Ladbrokes-sponsored event
"She had box three in her heat win and she needed to draw one, two or three to be a chance in a semi-final,'' trainer MACKAY said.
"Box one is perfect because there are a couple of wide runners outside Duna Runa.''
MACKAY's bitch Zipping Midge finished fourth to Fernando Bale in the 2015 Golden Easter Egg final while he had two runners in 2013, finishing fourth with Sometimes Speedy and down the course with Punch One Out, who lost all chance when badly checked in the early stages.
Steve White, whose champion Paua To Burn won the 2005 Golden Easter Egg, is also set to have a 2016 finalist with Rare Pearl drawing suitably in box seven in the first semi-final on Saturday night.
Rare Pearl lacks early speed but possesses a barnstorming finish and runs his best races when drawn wide.
Rare Pearl has won four races from boxes seven and eight and put the writing on the wall for Saturday night by flashing home to finish third to fastest heat winner Outside Pass in 29.63 in his heat.
Queenslander Outside Pass is among his rivals again this week but she has drawn awkwardly in box three, sandwiched between Londonderry trainer Tracey Hurst's fast beginner Good Odds Angel and keen railer Good Odds Ocker.
Richmond Derby winner Knight Sprite lost no admirers with his second in Duna Runa's heat and he has a near ideal box seven draw in the second semi-final.
Although Knight Sprite was never going to beat Duna Runa when she jumped in front, he would have finished closer had he not been crowded when attempting to rail underneath Camden Gossip on the back straight.
Victorian-trained greyhounds have won the past six Golden Easter Egg finals and the Angela Langton-trained Shared Equity is poised to lead all the way in this year's fourth semi-final.
Langton and her partner Jeff Britton were holidaying in Hong Kong when Shared Equity led throughout to win her heat in 29.73, despite racing wide from box one.
Shared Equity's tendency to run in the middle of the track makes box six look suitable for her on Saturday night.
"She is normally a good beginner,'' Langton said. "Even when she misses the jump by a half length Shared Equity musters speed quickly but she always runs wide on the first turn.''
Heats of the group 1 Association Cup, Wentworth Park's biggest race for stayers, make a great sidelight to the Egg semi-finals on Saturday night.
Australia's top long distance greyhound Star Recall, who has compiled the remarkable record of 40 wins from 70 races, makes her Sydney debut for Jeff Britton in heat one.
"I am pleased Star Recall has box two because while she can handle any box, she has never seen Wenty so from the inside will have a better chance of getting on the lure early,'' Britton said.
Most interesting runner opposing Star Recall is rookie stayer Where Art Thou, who has box six for her 720m debut.
"I was going to wait until the Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup in April to try her over 720m but changed my mind because I have been finding it hard to get a start with her,'' trainer Kayla-Jane COLEMAN said.
"Where Art Thou has had plenty of middle distance work so rather than continue trialling her over 600m I thought I might as well put her in the Association Cup.
"Obviously I expect her to run out the 720m because she has given every indication she will do so.''
Weakest of the three Cup heats is the third where local greyhound Tizza Nitro is chasing her fourth successive win.
Trainer Rob Tyler has set her for this race but she could face stern opposition from the Jeff Britton-trained Dublin Bull.
Dublin Bull is a Wentworth Park winner who has scored in 13 of 35 starts but has finished down the course at his past two races at The Meadows.
"His last two runs were awful but he did have a fall at The Meadows so I'm thinking he may have taken a dislike to that track now,' Britton said. "Dublin Bull continues to trial well up the straight so I'm hoping he will bounce back to his best on Saturday night.''
Good value on Saturday night is Skate Thin Ice, who has box two in heat four of the Ultra Sense, a 520m series for fourth and fifth graders.
"I really like her chances on Saturday night,'' trainer Luke Azzopardi said.
"When Skate Thin Ice finished fourth in a heat of the Golden Easter Egg she was having her first 520m test in four weeks so she should be improved. She is well positioned in box two and this race is a lot easier than a Golden Easter Egg heat.''
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Duna Runa (Race 6)
Best Value: Rare Pearl (Race 4)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 7, 3, 6
Race 6 - 1, 8, 4
Race 7 - 6, 2, 3
Race 8 - 4, 3
$20 for 37.03%
