Four semi-finals of the Group One Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg and four heats of the Group One Farrell's Association Cup highlight Saturday night's mouth-watering Wentworth Park card, but the big drawcard is the clash of local heroes Jungle Johnny and Good Odds Cobber with Victorian champion Flying Zulu.
They will meet in the first Easter Egg semi-final with Jungle Johnny, fastest heat winner at 29.52, to exit box six, Flying Zulu in seven and Good Odds Cobber to jump from box eight.
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Flying Zulu, who has earned over $800,000, was seeing Wentworth Park for the first time when a solid third to Kisses For Gran's 29.69 in his heat and trainer Jason Thompson expects him to be a better dog this week.
"He didn't come out great last week, and considering he had never seen the track, I was happy with Flying Zulu's run,'' Thompson said.
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of pace around him on Saturday and while Good Odds Cobber does have early speed, I don't think he has enough to worry Flying Zulu if my dog comes out cleanly.
"I'd like to think that if Flying Zulu jumps like he can, he could be in front at the winning post with a lap to go.''
Kisses For Gran, who led all the way from box four in her heat win last week, has box eight in the fourth Easter Egg semi.
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Her trainer Jason Mackay, who won the 2019 Egg final with Zipping Bailey, is not worried by Kisses For Gran's outside draw.
"It's all about beginning smartly and Kisses For Gran has been doing that consistently lately,'' Mackay said.
"She doesn't mind a wide draw because she will run dead straight to the first turn.
"If she can trail speedsters like Chief Lightning, who has box six, and Sammy Ethan in seven, across to the first corner, I think she will be right in this race.''
Kisses For Gran
Crack Victorian bitch Lakeview Emily notched her 24th win in 52 starts when she led all the way to win her heat in 29.73 and her clash with local star Power And Glory in the third Easter Egg semi-final should be a ripper.
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Lakeview Emily has box six, and while Power And Glory has drawn off the track in box five, trainer Ken Burnett would have liked him to be positioned even further out, in seven or eight.
"There is a bit of early pace outside Power And Glory on Saturday night, but if he can get through the first corner without sustaining too much damage, I think he is capable of running down any of his rivals.
"My big hope is that he qualifies and comes up with box seven or eight in the final.''
Bogie Leigh in 2004 was the last Queensland-trained greyhound to win the Golden Easter Egg, but fellow Bananalander Daysea's Rory, who has box six in Saturday's second semi, has a great chance of qualifying for this year's final.
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Daysea's Rory chased Kisses For Gran all the way in last week's heat and trainer Tom Tzouvelis said: "He pulled up perfectly and has worked well at home since that race.
"Box six is okay because Daysea's Rory holds a nice straight line from the boxes to the first bend and if he nails the start I believe he has the speed to be the pacemaker.''
Daysea's Rory
Victorian greyhounds have won five of the past 10 Group One Association Cups and look certain to have a powerful representation in Saturday week's $75,000 to the winner final.
On Saturday Victorian trainers Brooke Ennis have Lanfranco and Ella's Babe in heats one and three, Jeff Britton will start Shake And Bake, Reiterate, Groovebird and Pass Mark in heats one, two, three and four, while Tom Dailly, who won the 2022 Association Cup with Gypsy Wyong, has Ethanol Water in heat two.
Jamie Ennis, husband of the trainer of Lanfranco and Ella's Babe, is upbeat about the chances of their duo.
"Lanfranco has not seen Wentworth Park but he has drawn perfectly in box one, he is a desperate 'red' dog,'' Ennis said.
"Ella's Babe is suited in box eight but while she has not raced since late November she is trialling well.
"She came in season late last year so had to be spelled.
"While it has taken her a long while to come good again, her past two trials have been a big improvement and indicate she is close to her best again.''
