Golden Easter Egg Heats Box Draw Heightens Interstate Rivalvries
The Macro Meats Golden Easter Egg will serve up its own version of State Of Origin after the box draws for the heats pitted some of New South Wales' and Victoria's hottest greyhounds against each other at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Reigning Betfair NSW Greyhound of the Year Take The Kitty, on the comeback trail from injury ahead of the richest free entry race in the world, has been given no favours upon his return to the track in a mouth-watering match-up with Victoria Dyna Lachlan, already a favourite to win the 2010 Australian Greyhound of the Year award.
Also included in the starstudded fifth heat are Richmond Derby winner Bogie Brave, Horsham Cup hero Our Toyman and Queenslander Ruff It.
Take The Kitty's trainer Ken Cheetham is under no illusions as to how tough a task his star performer has been presented with, especially faced with the threat of Dyna Lachlan, who has already annexed the Group One Adelaide Cup – Australian Cup double this year.
“Well he has to try and get across from the eight,” Cheetham said of the box draw. “When you've got to try and cross those calibre of dogs it's hard.
“It's not the easiest heat, but it's just the luck of the draw with dogs like Dyna Lachlan.
“I trialled him at Cessnock today and he went well over the 450. If he can get through the heats to the semi-finals he will be better for it and if he does it will be a miracle. He might just be short of a run with only two runs in the last five weeks.”
Other notable clashes include the Victorian trio of Galba Jack, Birthday Boy and Fedex, recent winner of the Temlee, being drawn against each other in the first heat, NSW pair Goodesy and Clark No Ee going full throttle in heat six while the well-performed Prankster and 2009 Australian Greyhound of the Year Cindeen Shelby headline the seventh heat.
The top three from each heat, plus the two fastest fourth placegetters, will move through to the semi-finals on Saturday 27 March. The $250,000-to-the-winner final will be run on Easter Saturday 3 April.