Devine Empress, who started a $1.50 favourite to win the group 2 Sandown Laurels final in December, has trialled impressively on the eve of making her keenly anticipated NSW debut at Wentworth ParkTonight.
The Kayla Cottrell-trained Victorian has box seven in heat two of the New Sensation and is chasing her 11th win in 16 starts.
Hooksy, a Victorian dog trained by Jimmy Auld, set a race record of 29.36 when he won the 2014 New Sensation final, time that stood unchallenged until the Jack Smith-trained Jungle Deuce stopped the clock at 29.31 last year.
Devine Empress had box one in the Sandown Laurels but bungled the start and missed a place in the race won by fellow Victorian Idolize, who took out this year's group 1 National Futurity at Wentworth Park and who is in Saturday's Golden Easter Egg semi-finals at Wentworth Park.
Leading Victorian trainer Dave Knocker, the father of Devine Empress' trainer Kayla Cottrell said: "Devine Empress came out running to win her first four starts but then developed a habit of pawing at the lids with one of her feet as the lure approached.
"That has caused her to miss the kick sometimes but she has still rung up 10 wins and two seconds from 15 starts.
"Kayla took Devine Empress to Sydney last Tuesday and gave her a box-to-box trial and we were happy with how she went.
"Devine Empress got under 5.50, 14sec and 18sec for each of the three splits.
"She has box seven in her New Sensation heat and the draw looks okay because Devine Empress always runs in a straight line from the starting boxes to the first turn.''
In fact Devine Empress has a flawless record from wide draws, being undefeated in six appearances from boxes seven and eight.
Tonight's meeting features three semi-finals of the group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden with fastest heat winners Zipping Novak and Lightnin' Ethics contesting the first two semis.
Zipping Novak (pictured) is trained by Jason Magri, who prepared the 2016 Magic Maiden winner Wicked Warrior, and will exit box four in heat one after leading throughout to win his heat in 30.04.
Lightnin' Ethics was an all the way heat winner in 30.15 for trainer Peter Rodgers, whose dog Country Zulu won the inaugural Magic Maiden in 2002.
Rodgers also won a heat last Wednesday with third fastest qualifier Simply Limelight, who clocked 30.25 and will start from box three in the third semi.
Simply Limelight has recorded 29.71 at Wentworth Park and looks the winner but Zipping Novak and Lightnin' Ethics face stern opposition.
Latrell Keeping was third when checked at the first turn, and struck more interference when fifth on the back straight.
Trainer Roberts' partner Shayne Stiff said: "Latrell Keeping is a very fast dog and is nicely positioned in box three but he is also very green.
"He needs to learn how to race and in trials has found trouble in three dog fields while recording scorching times on other occasions.
"Being in race one is a bonus because he won't be sitting around in his race night kennel for too long.''
Hardest for Lightnin' Ethics to beat looms as Federal Aussie, who outpaced Simply Limelight in the run to the catching pen in last Wednesday's heat but then faded and was beaten eight lengths into second place.
He has box two Tonight and his trainer Steve Fairbairn said: "I am over the moon at this draw because he had box six in his heat.
"Before last week Federal Aussie had been given post-to-post and box-to-box trials at WP but his heat was his first start over 520m.
"He went into last week's race under-done and I believe he has to improve in his semi-final.''
