Courtesy of The Dogs - History Beckons In Egg Final


History Beckons In Egg Final
Written by: Adam Pengilly 28/03/10
The history books have been dusted off in preparation for the Group One Macro Meats Golden Easter Egg final at Sydney’s Wentworth Park next Saturday night.

No matter which way you look, plot lines abound ahead of the richest ever race in Australian greyhound history worth $250,000 to the winner.

Master Victorian trainer Darren McDonald and Queensland mentor Tony Brett both have the chance to be the first to prepare multiple Golden Easter Egg winners in more than 20 years of the event.

McDonald has Cosmic Rumble engaged after a blistering 29.73s semi-final win, while Brett has two chances with 29.99s semi-final winner Ruff It as well as Bogie Bomber.

Queensland’s High Earner can also surpass Rapid Journey’s all-time stakes record with victory in the final.

But the one they will most likely have to catch is NSW star Fancy Mandy, just a $12,000 purchase as a maiden, after she again sizzled out of the boxes to be the fastest qualifier in 29.70s.

“We’re just ecstatic to be in the final,” Fancy Mandy’s handler Frank Hurst said. “(Wife) Tracey and I are a team and if you put the work in you get the results.

“She was purchased for $12,000. She got beaten in a maiden at Grafton and a maiden at Newcastle and then we bought her. It’s a race for a quarter of a million dollars – it’s huge. But it’s still only a dog race. Nothing changes (with her preparation). She’ll go up our straight on Monday morning and she goes up again on Wednesday.”

McDonald said he was unfazed about writing Golden Easter Egg folklore after Cosmic Rumble powered to a 5¾ length heat win against superstars High Earner and Cindeen Shelby.

“With the profile of the race it would be fantastic (to be the first to win it twice), but it’s not about me, it’s about the dog,” McDonald said. “The big guns missed the start. High Earner walked out of the boxes. I’m not sure about Cindeen Shelby, but when he’s (Cosmic Rumble) in front at the first turn he’s probably as strong as any dog in the race. He’s a fantastic dog. He deserves a big race because he’s been in a few and had no luck.”

Victorian Banger Harvey, owned by a group of passionate St Kilda supporters who named the dog after Saints great Robert Harvey, was the other semi-final winner in 30.40s.

Fancy Mandy was the big winner after the on-course box draw for the final drawing the two alley, while Brett’s Ruff It and Bogie Bomber have been drawn alongside each other in the five and four traps respectively.


Macro Meats Golden Easter Egg Final
1 Banger Harvey Robert Britton
2 Fancy Mandy Tracey Hurst
3 Proven Jett Michael Carter
4 Bogie Bomber Tony Brett
5 Ruff It Tony Brett
6 Cosmic Rumble Darren McDonald
7 High Earner Christine Robartson
8 Full Blast Anthony Medina


9 Shredded Cheese Jason Thompson
10 Cindeen Shelby Kel Greenough