The biggest cheer of the night at Wentworth Park on Saturday came from connections of Simply Limelight when their greyhound drew box one for Thursday night's NSW Sprint Championship final.
The youngest dog in the heats by three months, Simply Limelight shrugged off the jump in class and lack of experience to run down Ritza Donna and win heat two by two and a half lengths in a sizzling 29.66.
Good Odds Cash was a luckless third, just under two lengths away.
The other heat was taken out by Bandit Ned, who came from last at the first bend and fourth on the home turn to win running away by just under a length in 29.94.
After the box draw Simply Limelight's delighted trainer Peter Rodgers said: "I must admit he surprised me tonight.
"But he has always been a very fast dog as one night after the last race I gave him a post-to-post hand-slip and he clocked 23.68, time that is unheard of at Wenty.
"When he drew box four in his heat I was far from confident because he has had so much bad luck from poor draws at Wentworth Park.
"He is a terrific chaser though and despite all the bumping around he has received at Wentworth Park he has always remained keen.''
Hard luck stories from the Championship heats were for trainer Frank Hurst, whose greyhounds Good Odds Emma and Good Odds Cash found bad trouble in their races.
Good Odds Emma jumped in front in heat one but was carried off the track at the first turn by the wide running Mickey Doo and missed a place, failing to qualify for Thursday's final.
"Good Odds Emma was a half length in front of Mickey Doo but could not quite clear him when they reached the corner,'' Hurst said.
"Then Good Odds Cash got trapped outside Father Rick and she wasn't left alone so did well to finish third.''
Hurst's bad luck continued with the box draw when Good Odds Cash drew box eight in Thursday's final.
Apart from Simply Limelight the best drawn finalist is Zipping Maserati, who drew box two after finishing a close fourth, from box eight, in Bandit Ned's heat.
Jodie Lord landed three winners on Saturday, scoring with Bandit Ned, who notched his 22nd win in 37 races, Bandit Jane and Lady Stomp.
John Finn trained a winning double with Tania Keeping and Return Mac.
Tania Keeping's powerful win vindicated the decision of Finn and his wife Minnie to switch the greyhound back from long distance racing to middle and sprint journeys.
Tania Keeping won over 720m at Wentworth Park in 42.17 and a flying 41.93 in May and June but Minnie Finn said on Saturday: "We decided she was too young to be a full time stayer yet.
"She is only 23 months old so won't be contesting Thursday night's NSW Distance Championship over 720m at Wenty,'' Minnie said.
Super Estrella staged a great trial for that race by leading throughout to beat arch rivals Tiger Jack and Cawbourne Magic in her personal best 41.63 over 720m on Saturday.
