Saturday night’s $490,000 Group 1 Golden Easter Egg (520m) favourite Mackenna is aiming to become the first Victorian greyhound to win the time-honoured event since 2018.
Mackenna, recently sold to NSW connections after being bred in Victoria and starting her career in this state, has won 11 of her 16 starts, including two from two for caretaker trainer Michelle Sultana (NSW).
Mackenna started the Golden Easter Egg series with a bang on March 30, winning her heat in 29.20 seconds, the second fastest time ever recorded at Wentworth Park.
The series was then interrupted due to track damage, pushing the semis back a week, where Mackenna again set the benchmark with a slashing victory in 29.29 seconds.
Mackenna is Sportsbet's $1.95 favourite from Box 2, ahead of local pair Zipping Megatron ($4.80) and Nad Al Sheba ($6).
"It was a massive relief," Sultana told thedogs.com.au after Mackenna's semi-final victory.
"With the semis put back a week, that gave us an opportunity to trial her at Maitland over 400 metres.
"It was a chance to give her another hard run.
"She had never been there before, so when the time came up 21.88 seconds it was such a surprise (that she went so fast)."
The Golden Easter Egg Final is scheduled to run at 9.45pm on Saturday night.
A second Group 1 will take place at Wentworth Park on Saturday with the $103,750 Group 1 Association Cup (720m) for stayers at 8:18pm.
A number of Victorian bred greyhounds will be up against it in their attempts to topple Queensland champion Valopolicella ($2.50 favourite) and NSW staying sensation Palawa King ($2.90).
Among them is Al's Entity ($7.50), whom like Mackenna was sent north by Victorian trainer Paul Abela for the current rich pickings in Sydney.
"Paul (Ablea) is a ripper," caretaker trainer Darryl Thomas told thedogs.com.au.
"He sends them up and gives us a crack with his best dogs. Not many people do it, but he takes the punt if he thinks that's the best thing for the dogs."
Thomas is expecting Al's Entity to improve on his heat victory last week, in which he clocked 42.26 seconds, just a length off fastest heat winner Palawa King.
"He got tired late. I think he should improve (in the final)."
