Simply Amazing! Limelight Becomes An Egg Legend

Western Sydney powerhouse Simply Limelight has raced into Golden Easter Egg folklore with an epic victory in the Group 1 showpiece at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

In a thrilling finish to the $300,000-to-the-winner decider, Simply Limelight, trained by Peter Rodgers at Freemans Reach, surged home to defeat a gallant runner-up Baby Jaycee.

The group 1 triumph was Simply Limelight's 18th race victory, remarkably 17 of those at Wentworth Park.

"We didn't dream this day would ever come," said Pat Breen post race, wife of trainer Peter Rodgers.

Simply Limelight reigns supreme in the Golden Easter Egg Final! ✨ pic.twitter.com/OR6Q2lXO4T

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 8, 2023

"He's such a mighty dog and so very special to us. In the Group 1 National Sprint he finished second with a broken toe so he's a tough bugger.

"This is such a special race and for him to perform like he did is just amazing. A moment we'll cherish forever."

Armed with a booming finish, Simply Limelight was always going to be the greyhound closing in the final stages.

And after gaining a saloon run through the first corner he didn't disappoint his army of fans, racing away for Golden Easter Egg glory.

The winning time was 29.48 with 1 ¾ lengths separating the winner and runner-up while WA raider Custard Monelli finished third, another 2 ¾ lengths away. 

Trainer Peter Rodgers, who has enjoyed a long and decorated training career, said the race was as good as over at the winning post the first time around.

“As long as he didn't get impatient and waited for the runs to come for him,” Rodgers said.

“He's a very, very hard dog to hold out, but full accolades to the other finalists, especially the interstate travelers, it's not an easy thing to do.

“Racing Simply Limelight on his home track, you need to watch out or he'll get you.

“I was 10 years of age when I led my first dog out and I'm 67 now, so 57 years of hard grind, and this is like the defining moment. I always knew there was a good race in the dog. And this is it.”

On a massive night of racing in front of a big crowd, the flagship distance event, the Group 1 Farrell's Association Cup (720m), went the way of Zipping Orlando for trainers John and Minnie Finn in emphatic fashion.

The son of Zipping Garth, relatively new to the distance caper, made a one act affair of the $75,000-to-the-winner finale, leading throughout in a fast 41.53.

In the opening event, boom youngster One Hot Bandit confirmed his status as a true star of the future, winning the Group 3 Magic Maiden Final (520m) in a sharp 29.65.

The win was the first of a training feature double for trainers Jodie and Andy Lord with Tommy Kade taking out the Group 3 New Sensation (520m) in commanding fashion later in the card.