Fastest qualifier Striker Light and NSW superstar Ando’s Mac go head-to-head in Saturday’s mouth-watering Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg (520m) semi-finals.
Flying heat winners Nangar Bear and Up Hill Jill also meet in another of the semi-finals of the $250,000-to-the-winner series at Wentworth Park, NSW’s biggest event of the year.
Victorian Striker Light will jump from box three in the second of the four semi-finals after clocking a sparkling 29.67 in last Saturday night’s heats.
The star of the gun Brett Bravo kennel, who won the Group 1 National Futurity at Wentworth Park earlier this year, Striker Light has won once and placed once on his two previous starts wearing the white rug.
Striker Light will be directly outside Ando’s Mac (box two), who qualified after finishing second behind winner Royal Turbo in his heat.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner is winless in his last three starts but looks to be returning to full fitness after a 10-week break earlier this year and ran home strongly in his heat.
Royal Turbo (box five), who won last year’s Group 3 Christmas Gift and has saluted on his last two starts, looks the biggest threat to the leading contenders.
Nangar Bear (box two) ran a flying 29.71 in the heats and looks ideally drawn to win the first semi-final.
He has placed in three of his previous four starts wearing the checks and looks well capable of jumping well and leading from this draw.
Victorian star Up Hill Jill (box five) ran a super 29.82 in the heats and has won twice and placed once on her three previous visits to Wentworth Park, breaking the 30-second barrier each time.
She has won once and placed once from box five, including a smart 29.53 run at Sandown Park late last year, so still looks a big threat.
The third semi-final looks an absolute cracker, boasting three heat winners – Shima Song (box one), Mack Tux (box four) and Topper Teretto in box seven.
One of the stars of the renowned Anthony Azzopardi kennel, Topper Teretto clocked an impressive 29.81 from the same draw in the heats and looks to possibly have the edge in this.
NSW star Falcon’s Fury still looks the pick in semi-final four despite appearing to have drawn poorly in box five.
A brilliant 29.71 winner in the heats, Falcon’s Fury has won both his previous starts wearing the yellow rug and with six victories from his last eight starts is in terrific form for the semi-finals.
Wicked Warrior (box six), who clocked 29.99 while winning his heat, looks the biggest danger from box six.
He has now won seven of his last eight starts and with a fine record from the middle boxes can triumph in this race.
The night also features two heats of the Group 1 Association Cup (720m) for the stayers and four heats of the Ultra Sense, a Listed race over the 520m.
Gunnadoo Cove (box five, heat one) won the recent Group 3 Gold Cup and looks the top pick for the Association Cup.
Better Call Sloy (box six, heat one) is currently racing well and looks a decent chance for the Ultra Sense.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields and form, click here.
