Simply Limelight and Lightnin' Ethics Headed North
By Jeff Collerson
LIGHTNIN' Ethics is a Gosford specialist but the Peter Rodgers-trained bitch, along with her star kennelmate Simply Limelight, won't be contesting the heats of the group 2 Beast Unleashed Gosford Cup on December 27.
Instead Rodgers' pair, who formed part of a winning treble for the trainer at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night, will head to Brisbane for the Bogie Leigh Futurity and the Queensland Derby at Albion Park.
Heats of the bitches' classic, the Futurity, and the Derby, for male greyhounds, will be run over 520m on December 29 with the finals on January 5.
On Wednesday night Lightnin' Ethics led throughout over 520m at Wentworth Park in a personal best 29.69 while Simply Limelight notched his 11th Wenty win, coming from fourth on the back straight to win easily in a slick 29.84.
Rodgers said: "The Queensland races are not only worth $75,000 to the winners, compared to $40,000 for the Gosford Cup, but they are also restricted age races so they are obviously more suitable for my duo.
"Both Albion Park races are for greyhounds whelped on or after June 1, 2020, so my pair, each whelped in that month and year, will have the advantage of being the oldest and most experienced greyhounds in their races.''
Rodgers' third winner at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night was Infra Hustle, who led throughout to win a 520m maiden event in a mediocre 30.62.
"I gave Infra Hustle to a friend of mine, Bryan Canellis, as a thank you for the assistance he gives me in training my greyhounds,'' Rodgers said.
RUGBY league TV personalities Fletch and Hindy were responsible for naming Tiny Hands Johns, who scored her first Wentworth Park win on Saturday night.
Trained by Robert Howard, Tiny Hands Johns overcame a slow start to flash along the rails and take out the 520m Bitches' Final in 30.17.
The greyhound is named after footy commentator and former star player Matty Johns, with Jorja-Louise Howard, the daughter of the trainer, explaining: "We met Bryan Fletcher (Fletch) and Nathan Hindmarsh (Hindy) during the Million Dollar Chase series.
LEADING Sydney trainer David Smith will be making every post a winner when he makes the trek to Temora tomorrow (Tuesday) as he is taking a team of nine greyhounds - including his Saturday night Wentworth Park quinella pairing of Tarawi Ferrari and Oreo Ethics.
