The hopes of She’s A Pearl having any chance of defending her TAB Million Dollar Chase crown will hinge on a last minute decision from trainer Andy Lord on Saturday morning, but he candidly admitted on Thursday that she is “no guarantee” to start this Saturday in the City Qualifiers of the world’s richest greyhound race.
Speaking exclusively to Mark Duclos on the GRNSW Behind The Boxes podcast, Lord conceded that his superstar - winner of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg-TAB Million Dollar Chase double just four months ago – is not 100% and a start on Saturday is far from certain.
“To be honest with you, I think she's about 75%,” Lord told BTB. “I’d like I still think she's got enough up her sleeve to get through and qualify for the following week, but I'll let her tell me on Saturday morning, and if I'm not 100% comfortable, I won’t start her.
“There's nothing wrong with her mechanically. Mechanically she's fine. If she was injured then she'd have to be 100% for me to start her, otherwise I wouldn't start her. But, if I'm comfortable and I think I think she can get away with it, I'll start her … but she's got to show me some sign.”
She’s A Pearl has had just two runs since her MDC win on May 7, winning a regional heat of the Chase at Goulburn then, as Lord conceded, she was disappointing when fourth in the final a week later.
