Dailly Doubles Down In Easter Egg Hunt

IN years gone by ‘Team Dailly' has adopted a strength in numbers approach when targeting feature races in NSW.

But in pursuit of a third Group 1 Golden Easter Egg – having won NSW's most prestigious race with champion Fernando Bale in 2015 and Grigorieva Bale in 2013 – the powerhouse Victorian training operation is going with quality over quantity.

Tom Dailly is sending just two sprinters to Wentworth Park for Saturday night's heats – Shima Current (heat 1, box 4) and last start G2 Shepparton Cup runner-up Smooth Plane (heat 8, box 7).

FIELDS AND FORM WENTWORTH PARK SATURDAY

Both will be debuting at Wentworth Park sight unseen, with Shima Current the more fancied in heat betting at $5, with Smooth Plane $7.

Smooth Plane chased home the brilliant Explicit in the Shepparton Cup last weekend, after winning his heat in a blistering 24.73sec.

The Dailly-owned-and-bred son of Irish sire Vulturi and Smooth Bourbski has proven equally adept around two-turns, boasting a flying 29.67sec PB at The Meadows and 29.38sec at Sandown Park.

He also boasts a perfect five from five career record from box seven.

"He went really well at Shepparton but 500m suits him more than 450m," Tom Dailly said. 

"He's got a motor and doesn't mind it out there (box seven) either, but as usual, it will depend how he gets out.

"He hasn't been to Wentworth Park, but he only needs to run in the top four, so we'll treat Saturday night as his trial."

Shima Current, a son of the Daillys' former superstar Shima Shine, has only won one of his last six, but has also scorched around The Meadows in 29.67sec.

A turnaround in box manners holds the key to his Easter ambitions.

"He can run too; he just needs to get on the bunny," Dailly said.

"He needs to jump a bit better, so I'm doing a bit of box work with him this week.

"The last time I did some box practice with him he came out flying, so hopefully it'll work again.

"He's drawn box four, but I don't mind middle boxes at Wenty Park.

"There's not much between the two of them. We'll see how they handle Wentworth Park but hopefully they can both get through to next week."

The Easter Egg was one of the all-conquering Fernando Bale's four G1 victories at Wentworth Park in 2015.

He was given no box draw favours in winning (in order) the National Derby (7), Easter Egg (8), Peter Mosman (4) and National Sprint Championship (5).

"I keep waiting for another one to come along, but apparently they're hard to find!" Dailly quipped.