Fastest qualifiers Dual Keroma and Miss Splendamiro along with last year's winner Striker Light have each drawn superbly in next Saturday night's final of NSW's richest race, the $250,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park.
Not so fortunate was Up Hill Jill, who narrowly toppled her old rival Striker Light in a 29.88 semi-final but has drawn poorly in the final in box six.
Striker Light, who staged a stirring struggle with Up Hill Jill from start to finish in Saturday's fourth semi-final, drew box one.
Dual Keroma, whose 29.65 was fastest of the semi winners, had box two last Saturday and has drawn box eight in the final.
"That is an ideal draw for Dual Keroma,'' trainer Anthony Azzopardi said.
Miss Splendamiro, whose 29.68 win in her semi-final was the quickest of her six Wentworth Park victories, fared well, drawing box two.
"Earlier in her career Miss Splendamiro would only pass her rivals on the inside,'' trainer Hank Vanderburg said.
"But now she will go either in or out to reach the lead and that improved track sense has played a big part in her current great form.''
Trainer Brett Bravo was disappointed with Striker Light's box eight semi draw but the 2017 Easter Egg winner has won four of six races wearing the red rug so her trainer will be pleased with box one in the final.
Crash Bandicoot, a kennelmate of Dual Keroma, drew reasonably in box three.
The fastest Easter Egg heat winner with a 29.65 performance from box two, Crash Bandicoot came from third on the back straight to be runner-up to Bombshell Bandit in 30.11, slowest of the four semis.
But Crash Bandicoot's run was sound as he was hampered in attempting to get past pacemaker Royal Turbo and the winner, Bombshell Bandit, leaving the back straight.
Trainer David Geall simply shook his head in disgust when Up Hill Jill drew box six in the final.
Rippin' Sam will be hot favourite for next Saturday night's other feature race, the 720m Association Cup, after getting box eight.
Rippin' Sam came from seventh early and fifth on the back straight to win his heat in 42.25, an outstanding effort for a dog making his Wentworth Park debut.
The other heat was taken out by NSW's most consistent stayer Ebby Ripper, who gave trainer Michael Eberand a birthday present by winning her heat in 42.23.
Champion Fanta Bale lost all chance when she was caught between the wide running Bella Shima and the speedy Starzsa Light and was skittled at the first turn.
Rippin' Sam's owner Shayne Williams was pleased with his greyhound's wide draw in next Saturday's final.
"He likes to run around his rivals and while he struggles from box eight at The Meadows, in Victoria, the camber of the course at Wentworth Park seems to suit him better,'' Williams said.
"I gave him no chance of winning first-up in his heat, I came to Wenty hoping he would qualify, so I am stoked to see him win.''
Ebby Ripper's trainer Michael Eberand said that while his old warrior had been trialling well, he had been concerned she might lack hard race fitness leading up to her heat.
"Finding a race for her has been difficult so she did well to win in such fast time,'' Eberand said.
Box draw for the Association Cup
1 Techno
2 Zipping Katelyn
3 Big Daddy Bee
4 Billy's Bake
5 Simon Keeping
6 Ebby Ripper
7 Tritt Tritt
8 Rippin' Sam
Reserves
9 Tahiti Pearl
10 Sharp Diamond
Golden Easter Egg box draw
1 Striker Light
2 Miss Splendamiro
3 Crash Bandicoot
4 Fernando Express
5 Two Times Twice
6 Up Hill Jill
7 Bombshell Bandit
8 Dual Keroma
Reserves
9 Two Jay
10 Little Digger
See you next week!
