Stars Align For Custard Monelli's Easter Egg Tilt

HIS mission is far from complete yet champion Western Australian trainer Dave Hobby has Custard Monelli in the right place at the right time, from the right box at Wentworth Park in Saturday's Golden Easter Egg Final.

The handsome brindle dog, a son of champion sire Barcia Bale arrived from Perth only 48 hours before winning his Golden Easter Egg heat on March 25 in 29.78 and has thrived in his time on the eastern seaboard.

FIELDS AND FORM WENTWORTH PARK SATURDAY

"My intention was to bring both Crumble (Monelli) and Custard over for the Easter Egg but Crumble had soreness in his hock after a Perth Cup heat and I decided to take no risk with him," Hobby said.

"In the end, I got an MRI on the hock and was given the all clear but he had lost valuable work and I decided just to send Custard over to Sonia and Pete Davis.

"I stayed home looking after Crumble and he is now in the Lew Dorsa Final at Cannington on Saturday night.

"Custard only flew over on the Thursday prior to his heat and looked a little lost on the track in winning in 29.78 but it was a learning experience for the dog.

It's one for WA as Custard Monelli wins @ladbrokescomau #GoldenEasterEgg Heat 8 at @wentyparkgreys from Peacock and Tyson's Fury!

With two more heats to go, who else will advance to the semis next week?#thedogs @greyhounds_wa @WatchDogRacing pic.twitter.com/HvUTQeiU1G

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) March 25, 2023

"Sonia said he had settled in very well, eaten up without any dramas and they have the facilities to work the dog properly.

"Saying that, I don't think he gets worked as hard as he does here but you cannot fault the two Wentworth Park results and, from box two, he will get his chance in the final."

Hobby and the Davis' have had a long and successful relationship.

Dave Hobby's first tilt at the Golden Easter Egg series was with Joanne Monelli (2009), her granddaughter Penny Monelli (2017) before Zack Minnelli had a trip east but was unable to race when torrential rain washed out the first night of the 2021 series.

"Joanne made the final but was injured and finished down the track while Penny had little luck in the opening round but stayed in Sydney for the New Sensation and won that on Golden Easter Egg Final night," Hobby added

"Penny has been a terrific producer and is the dam of Zack Monelli."

With a successful formula in place, the only X-Factor for Custard Monelli was how he settled in at the Davis' Pheasants Nest base.

"He's just a lovely dog," Sonia said of Custard Monelli.

"At home, he's a very calm, measured dog and a pleasure to deal with.

"Pete does the handling on race night and said the dog is really switched on when at the track.

"He travels well and his diet hasn't changed from what Dave does in Perth. I'm lucky my brother Grant owns his own butchery, so we get the best of the best.

"He gets two slips a week up our 330m straight track and you can see that he's grown in confidence with every day."

Custard Monelli will return home with an enhanced reputation regardless of the Golden Easter Egg result.

He's grown to appreciate a post-race ice cream, a handful of chicken nuggets and Scotch Finger biscuits while at Pheasants Nest.

Life will return to normal programming when Custard Monelli is back to Perth but he will leave behind cherished moments.

"He's just a sweetheart … we had Sheikha in the 2013 Easter Egg and she had no luck from box eight," Sonia added.

"She's here on the lounge at home and will be 13 later in the year … I just hope Custard just gets his chance – it would be nice to just hold onto such an iconic trophy."