Easter Saturday is greyhound racing’s night of nights in Sydney. Not only is it the final of the Golden Easter Egg, the time-honoured Association Cup is run for the stayers, along with the New Sensation for pups, and the Magic Maiden final.
Only good dogs make the final of the Egg, and this year is no exception.
While getting to the lead is always important in greyhound racing, the three-week series of the Easter Egg often allows for greyhounds that come from behind a great chance to win. All the finalists have had the previous two weeks to get used to the track, making for less interference at the back of the field in the final.
Previous such winners – including Tonk, Grigorieva Bale, Blazing Token and last-to-first winner Cosmic Rumble – show that it’s probably not a bad idea to look towards a strong 500m dog.
Of course, Fernando Bale will probably lead all the way and make me look a right fool, but the take-home message is to seek a bit of value.
I’d say Dawkins Bale is worth a bet, drawn well with a wide runner to his outside. Ronray Spirit is a chance of finding the lead early and holding out Fernando Bale, so I’ll be taking a quinella with Dawkins Bale and Ronray Spirit.
This year though, I’m more interested in the Magic Maiden final.
Drawing perhaps unfavourably in the five rug is the Ruth Matic-trained Black Bear Lee. Nearly a decade ago in the Magic Maiden we co-owned Persian Spy with the Matics, who ran a cracking race finishing third. Two years later and the grand old boy ran fourth in the Easter Egg after winning his semi at 30/1, and I believe is still the only greyhound to compete in both finals.
The Matics have been generous to us over the years, it all started when they gave us Powder Blue when our pet greyhound died, then a few years later, when their former top chaser Persian Belle had a litter, we decided to get back into racing and bought one with them.
He turned out to be Persian Spy.
But back to the here and now. Black Bear Lee probably could have run a tenth or two faster last week but didn’t quite get round them at the first turn. He also has a tendency to run straight to the rail, and might well give Kim Hyde’s Kiheal Kaluna the run of the race.
I’ll be backing Black Bear Lee and having a quinella with Kiheal Kahuna.
Enjoy the night, and remember, no night at Wenty is complete without a choc top from the Mr Whippy Van!
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