Victorian greyhounds have won 10 of the past 14 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Eggs and on Saturday night at Wentworth Park, Idolize is poised to enhance that tally and transport the $250,000 first prizemoney south of the border for the 17th time in 32 contests.
Idolize produced another blistering early split performance when she led throughout to win her semi-final from box three in 29.63, taking her record at Wentworth Park to four wins from four appearances.
She's A Pearl, from the all-conquering Jodie Lord kennel at Gunning, set the time standard for the 520m at 29.46, also reeling off sizzling sectional times in the process.
But the box draw slightly favours Idolize, who, with box four, has the crucial inside running on She's A Pearl, who has drawn five.
Idolize's trainer Peter Presutto said: "My bitch pulled up a treat after her semi-final win.
"After her heat win on March 26 she was in better shape than ever before and she was in the same condition after her semi.
"This week she has been free galloping because I wanted to back off on the hard work leading up to the final.
"It's essential nothing was done to take any edge off her early speed because she had to be nice and fresh.''
She's A Pearl, chasing her ninth successive win at headquarters, is clearly the fastest Wentworth Park greyhound in the big race and while box five is not necessarily a drawback, the presence of front-running Queenslander Mitchell Street in box six could put pressure on her in the run to the first turn.
Mitchell Street has seldom been led in his 66 races which have resulted in 26 wins and he does look for the rails in the run to the first turn.
After coming from box eight Good Odds Cash finished brilliantly when beaten a half-length by Louis Rumble in his 29.95 semi-final, but her trainer Frank Hurst has again been left disappointed by her box seven draw on Saturday.
"It's an awful draw although she is certainly better off being on the outside of all the speedsters in boxes four, five and six because I would hate to see her drawn inside them,'' Hurst said.
Devine Empress has recovered fully from a minor injury sustained during her fastest 29.94 heat win in the New Sensation and will be at her best for Saturday night's $40,000 to the winner final.
After Devine Empress' heat win stewards reported that the Victorian-trained bitch had sustained a "spike wound to her offside foreleg.''
The club's veterinary surgeon ruled the cut was not sufficient to warrant time on the sidelines and trainer Kayla Cottrell said today: "She is 100 per cent fit again and ready to go.''
Stanley Road will be chasing his second successive group 1 Association Cup on Saturday night and while he has drawn ideally in box one, the Mark Gatt-trained dog faces stiff opposition from heat winners Mepunga Ruby and Super Estrella along with boom stayer Zipping Kansas.
Mepunga Ruby's Victorian trainer Jeff Britton said: "She pulled up well after her heat win and she loves Wentworth Park, she really likes it up in Sydney.''
Britton also has Boston Garden in box one in The Ambrosoli, the traditional consolation race for Golden Easter Egg competitors.
Boston Garden was a National Derby finalist at Wentworth Park in January but Britton said: "I would have liked to give him a week or two off after his fourth to Fantastic Raven in his Golden Easter Egg semi-final.
"I think he needs a little rest because he has been back and forth from Melbourne to Sydney for three weeks running but from the rails box he is in with a chance.''
