She’s A Pearl goes into Saturday night's Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg semi-finals as slowest heat winner but trainer Andy Lord predicts his champion will "improve heaps" in the third semi-final.
She's A Pearl has box five and has won five of her eight races while wearing the yellow rug.
Lord said: "She pulled up a bit sore after last week's heat but I've freshened her right up and she is ready to improve heaps in her semi-final.''
This is arguably the strongest of the four semis with Wyndra All Class (box one), Yachi Bale (two) and Embrace, ideally positioned in box eight, also having strong claims.
Toughest rival for She's A Pearl could be Yachi Bale, trained in Victoria by Mark Delbridge and already a $734,000 stakes earner.
Yachi Bale came from last at the first turn to be beaten a nose by Zipping Kyrgios in his heat and Mark Delbridge expects his dog to benefit from that experience.
"He had never seen Wentworth Park before last Saturday's heat and while Yachi Bale hasn't got the pace to go with them early, he really takes off on the back straight,'' he said.
"Yachi Bale will move off the track a bit but he won't do that until he hits the first bend.''
Delbridge is also upbeat about the prospects of Elite Alex, who has box one in the fourth semi and was beaten a dozen lengths by Len Me Dad in his heat after being badly hampered on two occasions.
"Elite Alex had also not seen Wenty until last Saturday but while I'm not complaining about box one, I would have preferred two or three because he will step to the right when the boxes open.
"He has only just turned two but has been flying since he was 17 months old, which was a bit frustrating because in Victoria we are not permitted to race dogs until they reach 18 months.''
Victa Damian, whose 29.34 was fastest of the heats, will be hot favourite in Elite Alex's race but the SA champion has a slightly tricky draw in box seven.
Lady Divine, who has drawn eight, is capable of beginning fast and she usually heads left when the lids lift.
Saturday night also features three heats of the group 1 Farrell's Association Cup over 720m, with top NSW stayer Cawbourne Magic resuming from box four in heat two.
Although Cawbourne Magic has been placed without winning in three of his past four races, trainer Andy Lord expects him to be back on top on Saturday night.
"He has had over a month off and that's done Cawbourne Magic the world of good, he is going better than ever,'' Lord said.
Lord also has his Dapto 600m record holder Bandit Jane tackling 720m for the first time in heat one of the Cup, but said: "I am pretty confident she will get the extra distance.''
Victorian trainer Jeff Britton, whose bitch Mepunga Ruby won last year's 720m Summer Distance Plate at Wentworth Park in race record time, has Korda exiting box one in heat three of the Association Cup.
Britton said: "Korda is not as good as Mepunga Ruby, he is about four lengths slower.
"But he is a front running stayer and although he has never seen WP he has a chance providing he can get away with a good break in the early stages.''
