It was an act of generosity at the time but it may turn out to be a Group 1 gift for trainer Peter Rodgers and his partner Pat Breen.
On Thursday night the couple watched almost in disbelief as their young dog Simply Limelight took out the NSW State Sprint Championship, and then came up with box one again for the National Final on August 27, again at Wentworth Park.
“I can’t believe it,” Pat said. “I’m very excited … can you tell? I can’t believe it. I’m so very proud of him.
“We trained his mum (Guiding Light) and he was a gift to us for looking after his mum for all those years, training her. He is very special to us.
“I think he’s still learning to race. He’s just learning so much - just little things, putting things together.”
The win took Simply Limelight’s record to 8 wins and 9 placings from just 19 starts for the dog who turned two only back in June..
To win on Thursday was quite amazing. It was one of the most stunning races with the race changing complexion so many times.
Simply Limelight, sent out as the favourite from box one, was last past the post the first time, but when the leaders jammed on the first turn, he railed through and up the back was able to surge to the lead past Group 1 winner Ritza Donna.
Good Odd Cash then emerged and got underneath Simply Limelight, but they then jammed allowing Rizta Donna to again race to the front and swinging for home she looked as if she would be the winner.
But Simply Limelight came again, charging past the leader as they neared the line for an amazing win in 30.06s.
Bandit Ned rattled home for second ahead of Ritza Donna, with Good Odds Cash in fourth, although as the highest ranked runner in the State Finals, she gains the wildcard and gets a start in the National Final.
Victoria will be represented by Dusty Bourbski who was able to push through on the first turn and grab the lead from rival Photo Man and once in front he was determined not to surrender, winning impressively in 29.24s.
He has drawn box two again like he had at Sandown for the Wentworth Park final.
There was a massive upset in the Queensland Sprint Championship final, when Magical Cyndie – who turned four back in May this year - led throughout and just held on to win in a slow 30.20s.
The favourite, Shipwrecked, who was tipped to be a big threat in the National final had he got through after a 29.32s run at Wentworth Park recently, was slow to move and then checked on the first turn and was never a threat from that moment on.
At Angle Park in South Australia it was another upset with Jane McNicholl’s Fly For Tryx arriving just in the last 10m to grab tearaway leader Charlee’s Misty and score.
Tasmania will be represented by McInerney who was impressive leading from the first turn and winning effortlessly in 29.63s
Trainer Steve Withers had plenty of success with Tommy Shelby not long ago and it looked for a long way that he would be back in Sydney for the Nationals with Panama Pepper but a late charge in the home straight from the Christine Robartson-trained Throttle thwarted that, with the son of West On Augie - himself a national sprint champion back in 2018 - now headed to Sydney for the final.
Across the Tasman it was the brilliant Opawa Superstar qualifying for the Sprint Championship with yet another win.
The talented chaser won for the 24th time in his 36-start career - which includes 11 placings - in the New Zealand final at Addington.
