Crack Victorian trainer Jason Thompson, who won the Golden Easter Egg with Don't Knocka Him in 2012 and with Moreira four years later, has high hopes for his 2021 Brisbane Cup winner Equalizer in this year's Ladbrokes Egg series.
There are 10 Easter Egg heats at Wentworth Park on Saturday night and Equalizer has box two in heat three, while his up-and-coming kennelmate Decimate has drawn eight in heat 10.
"Equalizer broke down last year and served a few bitches but after a couple of trials up the straight earlier this year he held up ok so I brought him back at The Meadows on March 12,'' Thompson said.
"He finished third in that and then won at The Meadows in the best 525m time of the meeting a week later.
"On Saturday Equalizer is likely to be near last at the winning post with a lap to go but he will rail up from there and is very strong.
"He has box two and that will suit him because that's where he wants to be.
"Decimate only turned two last month and while this is going to be good experience for him for subsequent races at Wentworth Park, he is ideally drawn in box eight.''
Decimate has won 11 of 22 starts and should get a clear run with slow beginner Boy Serious in box seven and good railers Soul To Squeeze and Gypsy Yankee drawn in five and six.
Jason MACKAY trained 2019 Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey and is enthusiastic about the prospects of his Maitland Gold Cup runner-up Our Mechanic.
"He has drawn box two in heat seven but has struck one of the toughest races with final favourite She's A Pearl in box eight and Maitland Cup winner Good Odds Cash in six,'' MACKAY said.
"But I was pleased with Our Mechanic's run in the Cup because he drew poorly in box six and the 450m was a bit short for him, he is better suited over the 520m of the Egg heat.
"And because he has trialled 29.80 at Wentworth Park I believe he is a better dog around two turns than on one turn courses like Maitland.''
MACKAY has Fantastic Raven, who made the pace when runner-up behind Zipping Kyrgios in last week's 605m Country Classic at Dubbo, in box five in heat four and Zipping Lopez, a Maitland Cup finalist, in box three in heat 10.
MACKAY said: "Fantastic Raven has a nice draw and if she begins like she has been doing lately she should put herself in the picture early.
"Zipping Lopez lacks Wentworth Park experience as he has had only one short hand-slip there so he will need to be up punching for the early lead to have a chance.''
Pre-post final favourite She's A Pearl (pictured) has box eight in heat seven and her trainer Jodie Lord is supremely confident.
"She ran 29.82 from box one at her last Wenty start but box eight is her best box and I think she is a special,'' Lord said.
"My other Egg candidates Bandit Ned, who has box six in heat three, and Coast Model, who has drawn one in heat five, also have great chances.
"Bandit Ned likes being positioned out wide while Coast Model has finally come up with her pet draw.
"Coast Model drew boxes six and eight when unplaced at her past four WP starts but she is going as well as ever and I expect her to bounce back to form on Saturday.''
Coast Model has won five of her nine starts from boxes one and two and posted her personal best WP figures of 29.58 when she exited box one on January 8.
