Trainer Peter Presutto admits he’s “pinching himself” after Victorian ‘Golden Girl’ Idolize continued her love affair with Wentworth Park in the semi-finals of the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg (520m) last Saturday night.
Idolize, winner of the G1 National Futurity in Sydney in January, improved her undefeated record at Wentworth Park to four from four with another flawless front-running exhibition, clocking a flying 29.63sec, her 14th win from 24 starts.
A January ’20 daughter of My Redeemer and Hightan, Idolize started $2.70 favourite in her all-the-way victory over fellow Victorians Zara’s Ivan and Lala Kiwi, both trained by Andrea Dailly, comfortably eclipsing her previous personal best of 29.80sec.
The performance was highlighted by a blistering 5.30sec first section, just over one length outside the 5.22sec split record.
“If Idolize can do exactly what she’s been doing and nail the start, then she’s in with a really good show.”
“You just keep pinching yourself,” said Devon Meadows-based Peter Presutto.
“It’s a surprise but it’s not a surprise. I know she’s very capable but maybe I’m too much of a pessimist.
“That was probably her best win. Against that quality of the field, to fend off ‘the red’ (Zara’s Ivan) and then you had the Australian Cup winner (Lala Kiwi) running third!
“The Golden Easter Egg is a special race and Wentworth Park is a fantastic place as well. Being in a race like the Easter Egg makes all the hard work and sacrifices over the years worth it and having a winning chance is even better!”
WATCH: IDOLIZE (3) improved her perfect Wentworth Park record to four from four with a scorching all-the-way 29.63sec victory in her G1 Golden Easter Egg semi-final last Saturday night.
Idolize was the second fastest of the four semi-final winners, with She’s A Pearl, prepared by leading NSW mentor Jodie Lord, clocking the quickest time of 29.46sec, her eighth straight win and 18th from 29 overall.
Idolize and She’s A Pearl have drawn alongside each other for the $250,000 to-the-winner finale, in boxes four and five respectively, with She’s A Pearl a dominant $1.95 favourite with TAB.
Despite her obvious affinity with Wentworth Park, Idolize shares the second line of betting with Good Odds Cash (Box 7) at $5.
“She’s drawn okay, I think,” Presutto said.
“The five (She’s A Pearl) is going to be very hard to beat. But if Idolize can do exactly what she’s been doing and nail the start, then she’s in with a really good show.
GROUP 1 GOLDEN EASTER EGG FINAL (520m)
Wentworth Park, Saturday April 9 – First prize $250,000
1 LOUIS RUMBLE (Steve Kavanagh, Pottsville NSW)
2 TACHYCARDIC (Kayla-Jane Coleman, The Oaks NSW)
3 FANTASTIC RAVEN (Jason Mackay, Kurri Kurri NSW)
4 IDOLIZE (Peter Presutto, Devon Meadows VIC)
5 SHE’S A PEARL (Jodie Lord, Gunning NSW)
6 MITCHELL STREET (Jedda Cutlack, Park Ridge South QLD)
7 GOOD ODDS CASH (Frank Hurst, Londonderry NSW)
8 ZARA’S IVAN (Andrea Dailly, Anakie VIC)
Reserves
9 LALA KIWI (Andrea Dailly, Anakie VIC)
10 TIES THAT BIND (Frank Hurst, Londonderry NSW)
“It gets harder each week, so you’ve got to get better each week and I really think she is.
“Coming into the heats, she’d had a few issues with her blood, and I knew if she qualified for the semi-finals she would improve and she did. I think she’ll improve again this week.
“She’s probably still two or three runs off being at her peak, but I can really see the change in her over the last two weeks and she’s nearly back to where we want to have her.
“It might sound ridiculous, after she went 5.30sec on Saturday, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she could go a bit quicker early because she’s still not right up the front of the boxes.
Click HERE for latest TAB market on the Golden Easter Egg Final
“I think whoever is in front coming off the back will probably win the race. Hopefully, that’s Idolize!”
Star Victorian stayer Mepunga Ruby will also be chasing her second feature victory at Wentworth Park this year on Saturday after upstaging boom NSW distance prospect Zipping Kansas in a heat of the G1 Association Cup (720m).
Trained by Jeff Britton, Mepunga Ruby, winner of the G2 Summer Distance Plate in Sydney in January, started $4.20 in the first of two Association Cup heats and led all-the-way in 41.84sec, downing $1.30 favourite Zipping Kansas by 2.5L.
Zipping Kansas (Box 5) is $1.90 favourite for the $75,000 to-the-winner final, with Mepunga Ruby (Box 4) the $3.50 second elect.
Proud trainer Peter Presutto and wife Natalie pictured with Golden Easter Egg finalist Idolize.
