Mack-tux">Mac">Mack Tux and Up Hill Jill look to be the ones to beat in this Saturday night's Group 1 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park, after the two greyhounds drew box one and two respectively.
Up Hill Jill set the time standard in the semi finals, leading throughout from box five to win in 29.63.
Her trainer David Geall could not contain his joy after his greyhound drew box two, stating that he feels she likes be to be drawn near the fence in her races.
Mack-tux">Mac">Mack Tux meanwhile, usually a fast beginner, bungled the jump from box four and did not reach the lead until the half-way mark before winning his semi-final in 30.22.
The Bruce King-trained greyhound has a good record from box one, having two wins and three minor placings from five starts wearing the red rug, including a 29.80 win at Wentworth Park in March this year.
National Futurity winner Striker Light again showed her liking for Wentworth Park when she overcame a less than brilliant start to lead virtually all the way in her semi-final on Saturday night, recording 29.64.
Striker Light has box seven in the Golden Easter Egg final, but although she has not previously worn the black rug and is a good railer, it is worth noting that she has won three of her four races from boxes six and eight.
Striker Light defeated Lagoon Jazzy and Ando's Mac, with the latter's result meaning the early series favourite for the Golden Easter Egg could only manage to qualify for the feature event as a second reserve.
In the other semi final, Aqua Cheetah defeated Lucky Chap in 29.86.
Despite the defeat, Lucky Chap's trainer Anthony Azzopardi is upbeat about his greyhound's box three final draw.
"I didn't want him drawn out in no man's land in a race like this, he should be okay from box three," Azzopardi said.
Full box draw for the Group 1 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg draw is: 1. Mack-tux">Mack Tux 2. Up Hill Jill 3. Lucky Chap 4. Big Flood 5. Slamming Thunder 6. Aqua Cheetah 7. Striker Light 8. Lagoon Jazzy. Reserves: 9. Nangar Bear 10. Ando's Mac.
In the early market for the Golden Easter Egg, Ladbrokes has Up Hill Jill as favourite at $2.90, Striker Light $3.80 and Mack-tux">Mack Tux at $4.80.
