She's A Pearl had the biggest ever cheer squad supporting a Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg favourite and the JODIE Lord-trained flying machine didn't let her 12 owners and their pals down by coming from behind to win Saturday night's $250,000 group 1 final at Wentworth Park.
Louis Rumble led clearly to the first turn but ran off the track, giving She's A Pearl, who had begun only fairly from box five, a clear passage along the rails.
She's A Pearl then dashed clear with her task made easier through second favourite Idolize, who had box four, virtually falling out of the starting boxes and settling down eight lengths behind the field.
She's A Pearl held a commanding lead on the back straight and scored by just under four lengths in 29.73, well outside the race record of 29.27 set by WA's Tommy Shelby in 2021, but still the second fastest since 2015 when the great Fernando Bale led throughout in 29.48.
Good Odds Cash, who has already booked a berth in the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals at Wentworth Park, produced an outstanding performance to finish second after being a distant fourth leaving the back straight and hampered approaching the home turn.
Fantastic Raven was five-and-a-half lengths away in third position.
After the race Joe Lannutti, manager of the Punters HQ Syndicate which races the winner, said: "There are officially a dozen owners but as you can see by the cheer squad here a lot more have an interest in She's A Pearl because some of those owners have sold percentages of their shares.
"All credit to She's A Pearl's trainers JODIE and Andy Lord, they continue to dominate Wentworth Park and we have just been lucky enough to come along for the ride.''
The Lords were not trackside with Andy explaining: "JODIE and I had to babysit our two young grandchildren so could not get to Wenty.''
But the Lords' regular handlers and strappers Paul Mills and Ray Dixon saw to it that all ran smoothly for the kennel on Easter Egg night.
Andy Lord commented: "She's A Pearl got plenty of room once she got around the first turn but another dog gave her a mighty whack in the run to the corner so she showed plenty of ticker to put herself into such a prominent position.''
Victoria's "Team Dailly" had a big night with Andrea Dailly landing the group one Association Cup with Gypsy WYONG, who ran down fellow Victorian Mepunga Ruby, from the Jeff Britton kennel, coming away to win by three-and-a-half legths in a slick 42.15.
Last year's winner Stanley Road rattled home to be three lengths away third with favourite Zipping Kansas, bungling the start as he did in last week's heats, meeting severe interference in the charge to the first turn and finishing last.
The Dailly clan, comprising Andrea, her husband Tom and his twin brother George, also completed the trifecta in The Ambrosoli, with Lala Kiwi hanging on to win by a neck from Zippy Tesla with Daph's Ascend a little over two lengths back in third spot.
Victoria might have missed out on this year's Easter Egg but Devine Empress, trained at Pearcedale by Kayla Cottrell, came from second on the back straight to defeat the Sam Sultana-trained Yuko Girl in 29.70 in the $40,000 to the winner New Sensation.
When Jason Magri was asked recently how Zipping Novak, his finalist in Saturday night's group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden compared with his 2016 winner Wicked Warrior, the trainer said: "Zipping Novak has 100 yards on him.''
Magri's lofty appraisal of Zipping Novak was vindicated when the 22 month old youngster led throughout in 29.65, just .03sec outside the race record set by Anything Less in 2014.
Shortest priced favourite to win on Saturday was the Mark Wilcox-trained Castle Warrior, who led from the first bend in the listed Ultra Sense, and defeated quickest heat winner Lochinvar Lona by a head in 29.89.
