Simply Limelight ensured he will be sent out a warm favourite for next Saturday night's National Sprint Championship with a personal best 29.62 performance to take out Saturday's Free-For-All at Wentworth Park.
Simply Limelight won a roughly run NSW Sprint Championship at Wentworth Park on August 11 in 30.06 and has drawn box one in this Saturday's $75,000 to the winner National final.
Until Saturday night Simply Limelight's fastest time at Wentworth Park had been 29.66, but he trimmed .04sec off that time when he ran down Bandit Ned and Mickey Doo to win by two lengths.
After the race trainer Peter Rodgers said he had not considered "saving'' Simply Limelight for the National Sprint Championship by keeping him away from the racetracks after his NSW Sprint title victory.
"Once dogs are going well you have to keep them going, you can't be worried about them getting hurt, they have to stay race fit,'' Rodgers said.
"It is a 16 days turnaround from the NSW Championship to the National Championship so Simply Limelight had to race again before next week.''
Trainer Jason Magri will be watching for a scratching in the National Distance Championship following Zipping Kansas' sizzling 41.44 win in Saturday night's top grade 720m event.
Zipping Kansas qualified as first reserve for Saturday night's National final when he Chased home Super Estrella, who led throughout in 41.46, in the NSW Distance Championship on August 11.
Formerly the host state secured two finalists in the National titles but the eighth spot is now taken up by a wild card entry, and in Saturday's Distance title it will be Victoria's Gypsy WYONG, with Zipping Kansas first reserve.
John Finn took training honours on Saturday night, winning with his Vic Peters Classic winner Gatlin in 29.92 in a 520m fifth grade and with Zipping Lyris in a slick 29.68 in the same grade over the same trip.
Gatlin's run was outstanding as the dog began moderately from box six and was badly hampered in the run to the first turn.
He bullocked his way through the pack to be chasing Charlie's Jar at the halfway mark and surged ahead soon after to win running away.
After the race Finn's wife Minnie said: "We are tossing up whether to put Gatlin in Friday's Million Dollar Chase at Goulburn or in heats of the same race at Richmond that night.
"The longer distance at Richmond suits him but we are concerned about the silent lure there and while Goulburn is a short trip, this dog has won three of his six starts there.''
Keen railer Zipping Lyris looked awkwardly drawn in box eight but produced dazzling early pace to cut across to the rails and lead at the first turn before winning in 29.68.
Mount Victoria maintained her reputation as being among the most consistently fast beginners in training when she led all way in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night, scoring her third WP win and breaking 30sec for the first time by posting 29.97.
Trainer Charlie Micallef said later: "She is only 22 months old and is improving all the time.
"Mount Victoria used to be quiet but now she is continually barking, I think that is a sign she has matured, while she is also getting stronger at the finish.
"She is the best beginner I have had since a dog called Zombo, who was one of the first greyhounds I trained and who contested the National Derby series at Wentworth Park in 1978.''
