3 minute read
The well sought after Easter Egg trophy is on it's way to Freemans Reach as Simply Limelight and his trainer Peter Rodgers etched their names into the history books. Winning the 33rd running of Wentworth Parks Group One Golden Easter Egg.
For trainer Peter Rodgers it was his Everest after some 50 odd years in the sport. A journey that started as a 10 year old boy.Now aged 67 the Group One win for Peter and wife Pat was nothing short of a huge training lifetime achievement with their hard chasing and talented greyhound Simply Limelight.
A few months earlier it seemed none of this would be possible when Simply Limelight dislocated a toe in running during the final of the National Sprint Championship at Wentworth Park . Yet to the dogs credit and courage he still ran second when most dogs would have failed to complete the race.
Eight weeks off the scene after the injury and the concern was if the dog could recapture the form that had put him into the spotlight with his love affair of Wentworth Park which at that point had seen him win about 12 races at the venue. It was mid February that he started to show again what he was truly capable of.
Simply Limelight showed his customary cyclonic finishing burst in the final of The Golden Easter Egg to rope in talented Victorian chaser and favourite Baby Jaycee. Powerfully commanding the running rail swinging for home and leaving his rivals for dead with a blistering winning time of 29.48.
Simply Limelight the son of Kinloch Brae extended his record to 18 wins from 44 starts and prizemoney now of over $440,000 to announce himself as one the hardest and most talented chasers in New South Wales. For Rodgers however, it seemed the trophy and the emphatic victory was more important than the $300,000 winners cheque.
For both Peter and Pat both humble and modest greyhound people. They assumed for much of their training caeers that big race wins such as The Group One Golden Easter Egg belonged to much higher profile trainers. For both the dream has become a reality and the humble acceptance speeches from both show why they are an assett to the greyhound industry.
For Simply Limelight his love affair with Wentworth Park continues as win number 18 was notched up for his career. Amazingly 17 of those wins have been at Wentworth Park. His love of racing at the venue obviously undeniable. The Golden Easter Egg for 2023 simply belongs to - Simply Limelight.
