Steve Fitch was expected to be heading to Wentworth Park for Friday night's Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase with his joint track record holder Cumbria Jack, but instead the Nowra Hill trainer will be leading out Eriza Sparkles, fastest semi-final winner last Friday.
Eriza Sparkles, who won the Group 1 Dapto Megastar last month, led throughout to win Friday's first semi-final in 29.17, .31sec inside her previous best Wentworth Park time.
Fitch, who had to be content with second prizemoney when Cumbria Kid was beaten less than a length by Jay Is Jay in the 2023 Million Dollar Chase, is unlucky not to have two finalists this year.
Cumbria Jack, his National Sprint Championship winner and the star of his team, was a long odds-on favourite when a desperately unlucky second, beaten a length, behind My Boy Bingo in the sixth semi-final.
My Boy Bingo produced the upset of the night when he led all the way, covering the 520m in a sizzling 29.33 and toppling Cumbria Jack by a length.
Cumbria Jack bungled the start from box two but still looked set to win at the top of the straight when he began cutting back My Boy Bingo's lead.
But half-way down the straight Cumbria Jack, while angling for a rails run, appeared to change his mind and try to go around the pacemaker, checking off My Boy Bingo and almost certainly costing himself the race.
My Boy Bingo is trained in Victoria by Ken Bailey, a shareholder in the Jason Thompson-trained Tim Zoo, who was unplaced in a semi-final on Saturday but who has earned over $826,000.
Power And Glory will get his chance to emulate She's A Pearl by winning the Golden Easter Egg-Million Dollar Chase double, after winning his MDC semi on Saturday in 29.22, second fastest of the night.
This year's Golden Easter Egg winner Power And Glory began cleanly and made full use of his ideal box eight draw, sweeping around the Tom Dailly-trained Wyong Dallas leaving the back straight to win by three lengths.
Dailly, the Victorian trainer who is rarely without a big race finalist, secured his MDC prospect when Smooth Plane got up to win his semi-final by a head from Paw Oswald in 29.65.
Jason Magri's dog Zipping Megatron was beaten a half length into second place by Blue Kermaro in last year's Million Dollar Chase, and he will get another crack at the massive prizemoney after his bitch Canya Sapphire led throughout to win her semi on Friday in 29.59.
Magri was unlucky not to gain a second finalist when his front-runner Speedy Pie made all the pace but was caught and edged out on the line by Daysea's Rory, trained by Queensland's Tom Tzouvelis, in the seventh semi in 29.53.
Leading trainer Minnie Finn is without an MDC finalist but her daughter-in-law trainer Courtney Barnes will represent the kennel following the all-the-way semi-final win by Zipping Ariel in 29.44.
Slowest semi winner was Foreign Capital, trained by Vic Sultana for Gordon Sciberras and Jimmy Podmore.
Foreign Capital took 29.90 to win but after the race Sciberras said: "I know the time wasn't there but his win was enormous.
"He almost fell at the start and then got a couple of checks.
"I'm 68 and followed my dad, Joe, who trained top notchers like Court Jim and Midnight Enemy, into the sport as a kid.
"I have had dogs ever since and this is the biggest thrill I've had in the sport.
"I raced Little Mother, the champion New Zealand bitch who won 85 races, eight of them group ones, but I've got a greater buzz out of having a dog in the Million Dollar Chase final.''
Without A Trace, runner-up to Ethanol Water in the National Distance Championship on August 30, made a stunning Wentworth Park debut on Friday by leading all the way to take out heat two of the group two Sydney Cup in near record time.
Without A Trace won by over five lengths from hot favourite Firethorn, who lost her muzzle midway through the race, covering the 720m in 41.35.
