Crack Victorian greyhound Schillaci, who trialled a slick 29.70 at Wentworth Park on March 2, has since produced two outstanding trials in the lead-up to Saturday night's first heat of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg.
His Victorian owner-trainer Jihad Talgi, said: "Last Tuesday week I trialled him over 400m at Geelong and he clocked 22.20, not far outside the track record.
Schillaci and Jihad Talgi | Photo: Clint Anderson GRV
"Then on Tuesday this week, he had a box-to-box at Sandown and he ran the fastest time of the day.
"I'm happy seeing him in box three on Saturday as I prefer this dog drawn in three, four, or five.''
Talgi was a battling pizza shop owner with just two greyhounds in work and carrying a hefty mortgage on his house until Schillachi's fairytale victory in The Phoenix at The Meadows last December.
"Just 24 hours after he won The Phoenix I paid the mortgage off on my house,'' Talgi said.
"I have been in the pizza business for 35 years and had a greyhound or two for the past 25 years but while I still have the pizza shop I may get out of it soon.''
When Schillaci trialled 29.70 in a solo hit-out at Wentworth Park on March 2 he stumbled at the start and clocked an average first split of 5.53 but recorded an improved second section of 13.88.
Jason Thompson, the Victorian-based trainer who won the 2016 Golden Easter Egg with Moreira, holds a strong hand in Saturday's heats with Australian and Warragul Cup winner Tim Zoo in box six in heat three and Alpha Zulu, winner of the Cranbourne and Bendigo Cups, in box six in heat eight.
"They have each had a box-to-box trial at Wenty so they know their way around the track,'' Thompson said.
"But this is a three-week series and my aim in races like that is always to have them at their absolute peak on final night.
"One of Tim Zoo's owners pointed out to me that the dog has won four of his six races when drawn in box six.''
Tim Zoo has won 15 of 28 starts and $457,265 in stakes while Alpha Zulu, whose earnings stand at $285,725, has won 16 from 32 appearances.
Thompson said: "Alpha Zulu is a very experienced dog, he is a real professional and a terrific chaser.
"He had no luck in races like The Temlee and the Australian Cup but his performances in those events were terrific.
''But he is in a difficult heat, up against the NSW bitch My Hepburn, who goes like a rocket early, and Smooth Plane, trained in Victoria by Tom Dailly and who is going really well at the moment and is nicely drawn in box seven.''
All Natural, winner of the Bundaberg Cup and runner-up in the Gold Bullion at Albion Park, makes his first Wentworth Park appearance in heat four of the Egg.
His trainer Michael Zammit, who won last year's Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park with Jay Is Jay, said: "All Natural has not seen Wentworth Park but he is blessed with very good early pace.
"In his past few races at Albion Park, he has clocked very quick early splits and he is a reliable beginner who will run straight from his box seven draw on Saturday.
"But he is going to need to do everything right because this looks a particularly hard heat.''
Zipping Megatron, among the leading NSW contenders for the Easter Egg, has drawn awkwardly in box seven in heat five.
But the dog overcame box eight and a slow start to beat a top-class field at Wentworth Park last Saturday in a sizzling 29.45, taking his Wentworth Park tally to six wins and a second from seven starts.
Trainer Jason Magri said: "Whether he wins depends on where he lands at the first corner.
"But for such a big dog, Zipping Megatron handles himself remarkably well at Wenty Park.
"I thought his win last week was amazing.''
Zipping Megatron's rivals on Saturday include the 2023 Silver Chief winner and 2024 Perth Cup runner-up Mepunga Shine, trained in Victoria by Jeff Britton.
The first four across the line in the eight Easter Egg heats will advance to the April 6 semi-finals.
First and second in each of the four semis will qualify for the $350,000 to the winner final at Wentworth Park on April 13.
