Leading Victorian trainer Jason Thompson has paid his top 2017 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg candidates Big Flood and Aston Dee Bee the ultimate compliment by rating them faster than Moreira, who won the final for him last year.
Big Flood, who has won 11 of 16 races, makes his Sydney debut when he exits box eight in heat four of Sydney's biggest race at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Aston Dee Bee, winner of 10 from 19 starts, will also wear the pink rug when he makes his first Wentworth Park appearance in heat six.
"They are definitely quicker than Moreira was but that doesn't mean they are going to win on Saturday night,'' Thompson said. "Wentworth Park will be new to them and they are only youngsters but they are certainly smart dogs on the way up.
"Big Flood can handle box eight but for his first run at Wenty, in a race of this quality, I would have preferred him drawn inside.
"Aston Dee Bee handles wide draws well and he is a good chance from his outside alley.''
Thompson won last year's Peter Mosman Classic at Wentworth Park with Buck Forty but says that greyhound's box seven draw is against him in heat eight of the Egg.
Thompson will also be represented in the Group 1 heats by Invictus Rapid (box one, heat two), Aeroplane Bob (box one, heat five), Reckoning (box three, heat seven) and Aqua Cheetah (box four, heat nine).
Reckoning looks the best of that quartet as he has won 11 of his 20 Victorian races and acquired valuable Wentworth Park experience by contesting a Paws Of Thunder heat in January.
Although Lucky Chap is taking on Australian Cup winner Fanta Bale in heat five of the Egg his trainer Anthony Azzopardi is extremely confident.
"Box eight is ideal for Lucky Chap and I expect him to zoom down the outside of the field and race to the lead at the first turn,'' Azzopardi said.
Azzopardi also has Topper Teretto in box seven in heat 10 but while that dog has won 12 of his 34 races his trainer is unsure about his prospects from his wide draw.
Up Hill Jill, runner-up to Striker Light in the Group 1 National Futurity at Wentworth Park on February 4 and to Mumma Josie in the Group 2 Richmond Oaks on March 17 returns to Sydney for heat two of the Easter Egg.
"I was hoping for box one, two or three so am happy to see Up Hill Jill in box three," trainer David Geall said.
"While she has had 12 wins and 10 seconds from 25 races her record would be even better if she jumped faster.
"Up Hill Jill tends to miss the start by a half-length or a length but musters speed so rapidly a lot of people think she is a good beginner.
"She can nail the start occasionally so I'm hoping she can do so on Saturday night.''
Victorians have dominated the Easter Egg in recent years but NSW looks to have some strong winning chances this year.
Superstar Ando’s Mac arguably carries NSW’s best hopes of success and jumps from box five in the seventh heat.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup champion, who has won more than $600,000 prize money, is a brilliant talent and has won all three of his previous starts wearing the yellow rug.
Wicked Warrior had no luck on his last start in the Group 2 Richmond Derby decider but looks ideally drawn one to win heat four.
El Magnifico (box six) has a sparkling best of 29.59 over this trip and looks capable of winning heat six.
Falcon’s Fury (box eight) had a rare below-par outing in last week’s Group 2 Maitland Gold Cup final but can return to winning ways in the ninth heat.
The NSW Central West-based star has scored 15 wins and five minor placings from 23 starts and has the pace to combat the tricky box draw.
Best NSW value chance for the series could be Cosmic Bonus, who looks to be ideally positioned in box one for the third heat.
Trained by Evelyn Harris on the NSW North Coast, Cosmic Bonus clocked a dazzling 29.65 win at Wentworth Park recently and has won 11 of his 18 starts so far.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Big Flood (Race 5)
Best Value: Cosmic Bonus (Race 4)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 4, 8, 1
Race 6 - 8, 2, 7
Race 7 - 8, 2
Race 8 - 3, 5, 1
$20 for 37.03%
