Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg hotpot She's A Pearl notched her eighth successive win and produced another fastest time of the night performance in Saturday's fourth semi-final but the box draw has made next Saturday's final anything but a foregone conclusion.
She's A Pearl, who posted flying splits of 5.36 and 13.62, along with the best run home time of 11.78, covered the 520m in 29.46, equalling her quickest ever WP figures.
But she has drawn box five in the final with Victoria's Idolize, who drew four, notching her fourth WP win in as many appearances with a 29.63 all-the-way win in the first semi.
Idolize (pictured) reeled off a near record first split of 5.30 before a second section of 13.72 with an 11.82 run home.
In the third semi, Fantastic Raven ran down Queenslander Mitchell Street, who had posted early splits of 5.39 and 13.79, to win in 29.91, while the other semi winner was Louis Rumble, who led throughout in 29.95 with early sectionals of 5.47 and 13.89.
When She's A Pearl drew box five, Joe Lannutti, head of the 12 person syndicate which races the JODIE Lord-trained flying machine, exclaimed: "oh no!''
Lannutti would have been even more concerned a few seconds later when Idolize and Mitchell Street, whose early speed almost matched She's A Pearl's, came up with boxes four and six.
Paul Mills, who handled She's A Pearl for trainer JODIE Lord, said: "She will still be hard to beat even if she is sitting on Idolize's hammer going around the first turn.''
But Fantastic Raven's trainer Jason Mackay, who won the 2019 Golden Easter Egg with Zipping Bailey, said: "When you have three brilliant front runners boxed alongside each other something's got to give when they reach the first turn.
"If they jam up that gives a strong finisher like my bitch Fantastic Raven a chance.''
Peter McCann, the Glebe-based trainer who assists Northern Rivers conditioner Steve Kavanagh when he races in Sydney, was given the task of picking the box for Kavanagh's dog Louis Rumble.
"I'll get the sack because Steve was adamant he didn't want box one, he was hoping for two or three,'' McCann said.
"Steve believes good beginners tend to miss the kick from box one at Wenty.''
But with the three likely pacemakers drawn in four, five and six, Louis Rumble looks to have drawn suitably.
She's A Pearl was purchased midway through her racing career by Joe Lannutti's Punters HQ Syndicate for a hefty five figure sum, on condition the bitch is returned to trainer JODIE Lord when she has retired from racing.
"While there are a dozen owners, some of them have sold small percentages of their shares to friends, so it's possible She's A Pearl has 50 unofficial owners,'' Lannutti said.
Boom stayer Zipping Kansas had his colour lowered in heat one of the group 1 720m Association Cup on Saturday night, going down by two-and-a-half lengths to Victorian star Mepunga Ruby in 41.84.
Super Estrella ran her rivals off their legs in the other heat, clocking 42.10.
Super Estrella has drawn box two in the final next Saturday and David Smith, her trainer, said: "I wanted her to draw near the rails because if she happens to miss the jump she can still push up along the inside into a forward position.''
Trainer Jason Magri was not disappointed with Zipping Kansas' second behind Mepunga Ruby as his dog bungled the start.
"He can't afford to do that again, he needs to begin cleanly,'' Magri said.
"After Zipping Kansas bombed the start tonight he was caught outside Mepunga Ruby and she lugged out on him a bit so his run was still good.''
