Bush greyhound Falcon">Falcon's Fury edged past $100,000 in earnings when he won his heat of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park last week and will take his prizemoney to a whopping $360,000 if he can land Saturday night's semi-final and the Group 1 final on Easter Saturday.
Falcon's Fury (pictured), owned and trained by his breeders Pam and Paul Braddon of Cowra, scored his 16th win in 24 starts when he overcame a moderate getaway from box eight to lead at the first turn and win his heat in 29.71.
Falcon's Fury has box five in Saturday night's fourth semi-final but the Braddons are not unhappy with the draw.
"We did not want him in box one or box two because if a dog misses the jump from in there they are likely to get chopped off in the run to the first turn,'' Pam Braddon said.
"Falcon's Fury was only fifth away last week but because none of his rivals ran out on him soon after the start he was able to get a clear run and be the leader.
"We gave him some box practice before the heats and maybe doing that back-fired on us.
"If Falcon's Fury nails the start he can do anything, he is such a fast dog.''
Quickest heat winner Striker Light, who led throughout in a blistering 29.67 for Victorian trainer Brett Bravo, has box three in the second semi-final.
"I am happy she has drawn close to the rails although I would have preferred to see Striker Light drawn inside Ando's Mac, who has box two,'' Bravo said.
"Ando's Mac was beaten into second place in his heat but he is too good a greyhound to write off and is a real threat.''
On sectional times Striker Light is "unleadable'' as she posted near record second and third splits of 13.61 and 17.68 last week.
Star Torana scored a $40 boilover win in her heat last week but trainer Shaun Evans believes she can prove that was no fluke with victory in the first Easter Egg semi-final.
Star Torana scored her 10th Wentworth Park win when she won her heat from box seven and Evans is pleased to see her in box eight on Saturday.
"If Star Torana draws inside and is crowded at the first turn she wants to run off so I am happy with box eight,'' Evans said.
"There seems to be plenty of early pace among her rivals on Saturday night but most of them will want to go to the rails. If there is jostling among the inside division Star Torana might scoot down the outside of the field.
"She pulled up wonderfully well after her 30.09 heat win and has been bouncing off the walls this week.
"This will be her final preparation as she is due in season in June or July and her owner Craig Beadman wants to breed from her this year.''
Best run of the beaten division in last week's Easter Egg heats was by the Jason Thompson-trained Big Flood who was a desperately unlucky third to Wicked Warrior and Barking Bad in 29.99.
Big Flood should make amends from box five in Saturday night's third semi-final.
The night's racing features heats of the Group 1 720m Association Cup, which will herald the first Sydney appearances of crack Melbourne stayers Alera Bale (heat one) and Trip To Eden (heat two).
Alera Bale faces stern opposition from WA star Teddy Monelli but trainer Mark Delbridge believes she can win "first up.''
"Teddy Monelli finished in front of my bitch when they chased home Trip To Eden at The Meadows on March 4 but that was when Alera Bale was having only her second long distance start,'' Delbridge said.
"Trip To Eden covered the 725m in 42.31 that night but Alera Bale led most of the way to win in 42.12 there last week when she absolutely flew.''
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Penny Monelli (Race 2)
Best Value: Alera Bale (Race 3)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 8, 5, 6
Race 6 - 3, 5, 6
Race 7 - 5, 1
Race 8 - 5, 6, 3
$20 for 37.03%
