2022 Golden Easter Egg preview & best bets – Saturday, April 9
So here we are once again at the greatest night on the greyhound racing calendar. This Saturday night we have the Magic Maiden Final, the Association Cup, the Ultra Sense, the Ambrosoli, the New Sensation, the Masters Final, the Paul Wheeler and, of course, the Golden Easter Egg Final. So we have the future, the present and the past champions doing battle at NSW greyhound headquarters for all the glory and the accolades. Enjoy a cracking night of extraordinary greyhound racing and good luck with all your investments.
Race 1: Ladbrokes Magic Maiden Final (G3) Maiden 520m
The future top-line greyhounds are first onto the big stage tonight with the running of the Magic Maiden final for 2022. Simply Limelight has been fantastic through the series and was impressive in his 29.70 BON win in the semi-finals. He wanted to head to the fence last week which makes box 6 awkward but if he begins and goes like he can he will be very hard to beat. Zipping Novak has also done nothing wrong in his first two career starts and will have his admirers. In fact he was simply amazing in his semi after getting flattened at box rise; to pick himself up and run them all down was breathtaking, and there is absolutely no reason he cannot win this. Federal Aussie was good in the semis after chasing Simply Limelight in the heats and has shown good improvement every time he steps out; further improvement and a nice draw out wide sees him as a major player. Ibrox Wildfire was another that did superbly to make the final and is very strong and if he avoids trouble. Nangar Nancy usually shows pace but has been run down twice and would need luck in this.
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6
SIMPLY LIMELIGHT
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2
ZIPPING NOVAK
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3
IBROX WILDFIRE
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8
FEDERAL AUSSIE
Race 2: GRNSW Masters Final M1/M2/M3 520m
The old timers are next up onto the big stage and this race promises to be great. The Wenty champ Sunburnt Highway lines up for start number 150 tonight and it may well be a swan song if he can salute. This is a massive ask but he knows nothing other than giving his best, so we hope that he can run a massive race. Angry Blizzard has had the champ's measure of late and was very good in the heats; he will be nicely drawn with room to move but will need to get across the champ early. Kooringa Lucy did an amazing job when second in the heats last week after finding all sorts of trouble and motoring to the line. If she begins like she can, she can run fantastic times like two starts back where she got everything right and ran 29.7 a repeat of that will win this. Victorian visitor Lots Of Chatter has been contesting open class Group races recently and had his first masters run in the heats and pinged and ran 29.86. That was his first go here and you would think he improves on that, which make him an enormous threat. Prim And Proper is a quality girl that is improving all the time with recent racing and with a strike rate like hers is every chance of collecting even more prize money.
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5
LOTS OF CHATTER
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2
KOORINGA LUCY
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6
SUNBURNT HIGHWAY
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8
ANGRY BLIZZARD
Race 3: Ausure Regional Ultra Sense Final (L) 5th Grade 520m
The Listed Ultra Sense is next up, named after one of the greats of greyhound racing who took out the inaugural Easter Egg back in 1990. Tonight's homage to her has Castle Warrior as the greyhound to beat. He was ultra-impressive in his heat and draws beautifully on the fence, won the Bulli Gold Cup recently, and whilst not an explosive beginner will muster along the fence and be very hard to hold out. Lochinvar Lona has been sizzling of late won a heat and final at Bulli in good style and then destroyed them in his heat in BON time. Would expect him to enjoy being boxed out here and is the big danger to the red. She's Savage give her all at this track and may well carve across to contest the lead as she can begin when she gets it right, but this is tough. Where's Rocky is the strong dog coming from well back to win his heat but can't afford to give these good dogs a start unless he gets plenty of luck. Zipping Lopez and Opal Model both possess good box manners and speed but are only place hopes.
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1
CASTLE WARRIOR
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8
LOCHINVAR LONA
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6
WHERE'S ROCKY
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3
BOW TIPPY
Greyhound
Castle Warrior
Bet Type
Win
Odds
$1.80
*Odds correct at time of publication
Race 4: Paul Wheeler Celebration Non Graded 520m
A wonderful free-for-all race to celebrate the life of the great Mr Paul Wheeler, and it's a very open affair. Redeem Our Cash had been faultless before taking on the Egg series, loves the red box and will show pace. Fergie Pepper is probably the dog that is outclassed but is very honest and will give a big show if it follows the red early. We haven't seen the best of Dulceria at Wenty this campaign, but it did head home for a good victory last Saturday. Zipping Sapporo looks to have recaptured her Futurity form and is flying of late. While she is a moderate beginner that wants to head to the fence, she just might get the room she needs early and has a devastating back-straight sprint. Sally's Reward has not been beginning like she can and she needs to be off and gone in these sorts of races. Ditto that for Suzie's Face. Old favourite All Nose got no room to race last start; if Sally's comes out underneath him and gives him some room, he will certainly be charging home, but would need a new PB to worry these you would think.
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5
ZIPPING SAPPORO
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7
ALL NOSE
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6
SALLY'S REWARD
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1
REDEEM OUR CASH
Race 5: New Sensation Final (G3) Non Graded 520m
This age-restricted Group 3 is quickly establishing itself as a hallmark of a champion greyhound with the last two winners being Feral Frankie in 2019 and Jungle Deuce in 2021, so who will stamp themselves as the next big thing here? Doonan has had a rap on him since he began and has done nothing to burst that bubble, although he hasn't been beginning as well as he can and that could be problematic from the inside if he gets crossed early. Yuko Girl ran the sectionals on the way to an impressive victory that says she is a massive chance of leading this race, and that is worth plenty in a race like this. Devine Empress up from Victoria did a few things wrong in the heat, but it was her first look here. She has a high top speed and if she gets a little bit of room and luck early to rev it up, she's a definite danger. French Martini is 3/3 and in the hands of the ‘Autumn Assassin' Peter Lagogiane. Has pace and determination and is still really learning the caper. Broke the 30sec mark in her first race here and may well improve and go faster. Goods Odds Emma will be a place chance, as will Impress Dressel, but both are awkwardly drawn and will need to lift.
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1
DOONAN
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8
FRENCH MARTINI
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4
DEVINE EMPRESS
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6
GOOD ODDS EMMA
Race 6: The Ambrosoli (G3) F Non Graded 520m
This is the consolation of the Golden Easter Egg, and named after the greatest greyhound caller the sport has ever seen. There are still echoes of Mr Ambrosoli's legendary calls bouncing around greyhounds state-wide. What a race! Definitely worthy of a Group 1 final. Boston Garden for Jeff Britton loves the inside and after a few runs here will be peaking at the right time and on his Egg heat run would be very hard to beat. Daph's Ascend is extremely talented, will be great value in this race and is very capable of winning it if she shows us her best. Lala Kiwi the Australian Cup winner just hasn't been able to nail a start here at HQ, but if she does, she is so good she just wins. Ties That Bind has been superb of late for the Hursts but meets a star-studded field here and would need her absolute best. Zippy Tesla, the third Dailly entrant, is a moderate beginner and box five will be the worry. Ultra-strong and has an amazing turn of paw but will need luck from the draw. Likewise, Zipping Kyrgios will need to get luck from box 6, but if he gets it he will be flying at the leader/s late and as we know he is exceptionally talented. Coast Model usually shows great zip and a tonne of heart, but this is tough for her from out there and she has an average record from the 8. Due to the scratching of Equaliser, the people's dog Wow gets a run. Loves to be drawn out off the track a fraction but will need the 8 out of the way early and he will try to swoop around them at the first turn.
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3
LALA KIWI
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1
BOSTON GARDEN
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5
ZIPPY TESLA
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9
WOW
Race 7: Wests Group Association Cup Final Non Graded 720m
Now it's time for the staying wonders to take centre stage in the time-honoured Association Cup. The Group 1 has been won by some of the best ever, such as Zoom Top and Bold Trease just to name a couple. In 2022 a star-studded field lines up and every dog has a legitimate claim to the title. Stanley Road is a legend who is just not quite racing at his best. Never gives up and is almost always banking a cheque, but this is tough. Super Estrella looks the leader – again, that is worth lengths around here, especially in a big race – and will be super hard to run down if she finds the bunny. Hank The Hustler is just so honest but has been finding it hard to match motors with the big guns and this is even tougher. Mepunga Ruby is the Victorian champ for Jeff Britton and has a ton of reasons why she can win. She is 3/4 here, 4/4 from box 4 and loves to race in the middle of the track, so that box suits. No reason she won't be taking the trophy home south with her with an ounce of luck. Zipping Kansas for the powerful Magri kennel had every chance in his heat but was outstayed by Mepunga Ruby. He did bomb the start, which isn't his go, but had every chance. He is badly drawn outside Mepunga Ruby again and will need his slashing best, which he is more than capable of producing. Nimble Lulu is a strong capable stayer, but this field is hot. Likewise Paris And Rome. Gypsy Wyong is a dual Group 1-winning stayer who had her first look here in the heats and will be improved from that, but this is a big ask from this box against these.
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2
SUPER ESTRELLA
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4
MEPUNGA RUBY
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1
STANLEY ROAD
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8
GYPSY WYONG
Race 8: Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg Final Non Graded 520m
It's now time for the wonder that is the Easter Egg. This race has grown and grown in stature since its inception in 1990 and is now the most sought-after prize in greyhound racing outside the Million Dollar Chase. Some of the sport's greatest have won this, including Jessica Casey, Tenthill Doll, Brett Lee and the immortal Fernando Bale. Last year it was Tommy Shelby taking the Egg all the way to the west. Who will it be this year? Good Luck to all connections and well done on a fantastic campaign.
- Louis Rumble for Steve Kavanagh came out humming in the semi-final and is improving with every run on the track. Box 1 is a massive bonus in a race like this, but the winner should go about 29.6 and we're not sure if this bloke has that kind of pace. Happy to be proven wrong.
- Tachycardic is probably the fairy-tale dog of the race for Kayla-Jane Coleman. While he will start the outsider of the field, he just keeps finding ways of putting himself into races. Having said that, he has the job ahead of him in this line up and might sneak a place.
- Fantastic Raven for the Mackay kennels has been great in his heat and semi and had to do it the tough way last week. He is a little awkwardly drawn with the pace immediately on his right but is a very talented galloper that has been over the middle distances recently, so you know he won't be weakening at any stage. A definite each-way hope.
- Idolize for Peter Presutto has won two Group 1 races now, including the Futurity right here. She is 4/4 here and that is because of scintillating early pace. She will need every ounce of that and it will be magically to watch her and the 5 go toe-to-toe in the early stages, which may just decide this race. Definitely the biggest threat to the favourite and may even be an exceptional price in this race.
- She's A Pearl – well what you can say about this bitch? She was purchased for good money and has lived up to every ounce of hype that was around her, going on a winning spree that is second to none. She was favourite to win the whole shebang before a collar was done up and hasn't let her supporters down one iota. She simply sizzles early and then just turns it up another notch from there. She is a consistent 29.4 dog around here and if her faultless box manners are on show, there are not many in the world that can go with her. The dog to beat.
- Mitchell Street is probably the other dog in the race that most people don't give a chance, but Jedda Cutlack has this bloke exploding early in his races and that is the key in these big races. If this bloke can ping and go, he might be able to sit outside the speed demons and give himself every opportunity of picking up his connections a very nice pay day.
- Good Odds Cash for Frank Hurst has done a power of work just to get to this final, and you have to be in it to win it. Won the Maitland Cup against quality opposition last month, but from the tricky draw he would need a new PB. With the exception pace all on his left, he may just get the middle of the track all to himself.
- Zara's Ivan for Andrea Dailly is an exceptionally talented young dog on the rise. Like the 7 he is not likely to cross and lead this field, so will need to use the box to work around them and try to run them down, which is a tall order. Maybe a place hope.
- Lala Kiwi for Andrea Dailly is a dual Group 1 winner and recent Australian Cup winner who, if she gains a start, is more than capable and talented enough to put herself right in the thick of things in this race.
- Ties That Bind for Frank Hurst will need to gain a start, which will be the first miracle, and then would need to do something extraordinary to take home the Egg.
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5
SHE'S A PEARL
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3
FANTASTIC RAVEN
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1
LOUIS RUMBLE
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4
IDOLIZE
Race 9: Wests Group Macarthur 4th/5th Grade 520m
Cop Magnet got his paw caught and knuckled over at box rise at his last start, so that's a forgive. Usually a reliable beginner who could easily lead this field, but will need to do it at both ends if he is to hold off the swoopers and win this. Four Five tends to give a start to his rivals but is strong and will be charging late; may get a nice run courtesy of the 2. Hyperventilate is the other dog that has early pace enough to cross and lead from the middle box; would need a new PB to win this, but that can easily happen. Mepunga Warrior is another from the Britton kennel coming north and having its first look at Wenty. Has been afforded the visitors box and is only a moderate beginner but has a tremendous mid-race turn of pace. If he avoids trouble, he is right in the thick of this. Zipping Demand is another that won't be in the speed battle early but with an ounce of luck and a run or two will be swamping them late.
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6
MEPUNGA WARRIOR
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2
COP MAGNET
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8
ZIPPING DIAMOND
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3
FOUR FIVE
Race 10: wentworthpark.com.au 5th Grade 520m
Mepunga Mustang is also travelling north for the Britton's and had a slashing win at Geelong before getting beaten in a heat of the Ballarat Cup. While he is having his first look here, it would not surprise to see an impressive NSW debut form this boy. Kiwi Fantasy has been racing so well in this grade recently and loves the inside, and it took Castle Warrior to defeat him last start. Panorama joined the strong Lord kennel recently and went straight after the heats of the Million Dollar Chase at Goulburn and was leading when severely hampered. He was using plenty of the Goulburn track and might be boxed OK out here in the 7. Spring Meteor has never had a start from outside box 6, where his record is three placings from four runs, and has been racing so well before tackling the Group 3 at his latest. Will appreciate the drop in grade and is a hope from the awkward draw. Electric Dreams has the early pace to lead and must be given a hope.
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7
PANORAMA
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1
KIWI FANTASY
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8
SPRING METEOR
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5
ELECTRIC DREAMS