She's A Pearl was a $2.15 hot favourite when she won the 2022 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg and latest sensation Mackenna is set to start at even shorter odds in next Saturday night's final after her dazzling semi-final win at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
Mackenna made light of her box six draw to lead all the way for a six lengths' romp over Zipping Megatron in 29.29, just .09sec wide of her second fastest ever Wentworth Park figures posted in her heat on March 30.
The Michelle Sultana-trained Mackenna, raced by Sydney businessman Giorgio Alvaro, has drawn box two in next Saturday's $350,000 to the winner final.
"I'm not complaining about that draw,'' a beaming Alvaro said.
"A lot of people thought the dog in box seven might check Mackenna at the start tonight but I gained confidence earlier this week when Michelle Sultana sent me a video of our bitch.
"She said Bonny (Mackenna) was so well so full of beans, she was tearing up her bedding in her kennel and Michelle had to reprimand her.''
Mackenna recorded fast early splits of 5.39 and 13.63 and ran home in 11.64, while second fastest heat winner Nad Al Sheba, trained by dual Million Dollar Chase winner Peter Lagogiane, led throughout in 29.51.
All Natural, trained by Queensland's Selena Zammit, ran down Nangar Jim to win in 29.63 while Nangar Larry, from the She's A Pearl kennel of JODIE and Andy Lord, wasn't headed in 29.69.
So dominant was Mackenna on Saturday that Jason Magri, trainer of Zipping Megatron, who Chased her home, said after his dog drew nicely in box three: "I'll be happy to run a hole in the final.''
When All Natural drew box six in the final, Selena’s husband Mick Zammit said: "Well, he had won each of his two Queensland races from box six and won his semi-final tonight from the same draw so maybe it's a good omen.''
Delighted with the draw were Ron Evans and Eloise Manwaring, the trainers of outsiders Ferness and Marvel Zombie, who drew boxes one and eight respectively.
Frank Hurst, whose bitch Good Odds Cash Chased She's A Pearl home in the 2022 Easter Egg, opted to skip that race and contest the Group 3 Simply Limelight New Sensation with his up-and-coming star Good Odds Cobber and the move paid off.
In Saturday night's $40,000 to the winner final Good Odds Cobber led throughout from box eight to win by four lengths in 29.43 from Mackenna's kennelmate Fear The Dragon and the Ken Burnett prepared Power And Glory.
The $25,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Magic Maiden was won by Zipping Mario in 29.84 for Sam Sultana.
Odds-on favourites Palawa King and Queenslander Valpolicella won their heats of the Group 1 Farrell's Association Cup on Saturday night, covering the 720m in 42.19 and 42.29.
