Could Larry Be Andy's Next Pearl?

Andy Lord won the 2022 Golden Easter Egg with She's A Pearl and he has the early favourite for this year's series following the dazzling performance by his Bulli Gold Cup winner Nangar Larry at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

Nangar Larry jumped in front and led all the way to take out Saturday's top grade 520m event, posting early splits of 5.40 and 13.72 on the way to a best of the night 29.59 win.

Heats of the Golden Easter Egg are just a month away and Nangar Larry, who has now won six of 15 appearances at Wentworth Park, the venue for the $350,000 to the winner final on April 13, is the current stand-out Wenty performer.

Nangar Larry's win gave Andy Lord a double on Saturday with Black Mistery beginning smartly from box five to lead throughout in a 520m fifth grade in a nippy 29.82.

A week earlier Black Mistery had stumbled at the start and finished a distant third at WP but Lord believes there was an excuse for that mishap.

"Black Mistery had been racing at Goulburn and had not been to Wentworth Park since last September,'' Lord said.

"Coming from the Goulburn starting boxes to the Wenty boxes probably could have caused him to miss the kick last week.

"But he nailed the start tonight and this dog is blessed with good early pace as well as being a tenacious chaser.''

Lord shared training honours on Saturday with Michelle Sultana, who won with Fear The Dragon in a flying 29.73 and with You Never Lose in 29.89.

Fear The Dragon is raced by leading harness racing reinsman Michael Formosa and his win on Saturday took the dog's strike rate to an impressive seven wins from just 11 starts.

After the race Darryl Thomas, partner of trainer Michelle Sultana said: "Fear The Dragon goes up in grade now so is going to find it a bit tougher.

"That's because while he jumped smartly tonight, he doesn't always get away like that, and he wants to run wide on the first turn, just like he did tonight when he ran out and collided with Fascinate Trump.

"We are hoping Fear The Dragon can run a middle distance because if he can't he is going to find it tougher in stronger 520m races.''

Sultana's other winner You Never Lose, staged a tenacious performance to lead most of the way after being "taken on" for the early lead by the Greg Hore-trained Cambridge King.

That pair disputed the lead until near the home bend when You Never Lose surged clear with OMEGA JACOB, trained by Andy Lord's wife JODIE, running on strongly to beat Cambridge King for second prizemoney.

Unique Sunrise, described by trainer Wayne Sugars as a "quick dog with bad box manners" came from sixth on the back straight to win Saturday night's opening event, a 520m fifth grade, in 30.33.

Unique Sunrise trailed pacemakers Ashby Lisa and Topper Bloom on the home bend but finished so powerfully he won by nearly three lengths.

Trainer Wayne Sugars said later: "Unique Sunrise has always had bad box manners.

"Earlier in his career he would come out four or five lengths behind the field, and while he is a lot better than that now he is still a slow beginner who has to give them a start all the time.

"Unique Sunrise is only 22 months old so he has plenty of time and I'm banking on him developing into a stayer.

"His fast run home time when he won in a smart 29.71 over 520m at Dapto late last month suggests he will be able to run a distance.''

Only other dog to break 30sec on Saturday was War Hawk, prepared by rookie trainer Penny Hutchinson, who took his record to 11 wins from 21 starts with a courageous 29.99 head win over Marvel Zombie in a 520m fifth grade.

War Hawk and Marvel Zombie vied for the lead for almost the entire 520m, with War Hawk poking his head in front right on the line.