Thrill Of A Lifetime For Rodgers

Simply Limelight, plagued by poor box draws for most of his career, finally drew near the rails in Saturday night's second Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg semi-final and made full use of box two to become fastest qualifier.

The Peter Rodgers-trained dog railed into second place on the back straight and ran down pacemaker Custard Monelli in the straight to score by a length in 29.44.

After the race Rodgers said: "I led out my first greyhound when I was 10 years old and now I'm 67 so this is a tremendous thrill.

"Simply Limelight began his career exactly a year ago, in the Magic Maiden series at Wentworth Park, and the only let-up he has had was when he broke two toes in the National Sprint Championship.''

Baby Jaycee and Elle Yeah shared second fastest semi-final times with their wins in 29.59 in the third and fourth qualifying races.

Baby Jaycee is trained in Victoria by Bobby Douglas, who won the 2002 Golden Easter Egg with Carlisle Jack.

After Baby Jaycee's win Douglas said: "She is a miniature version of Carlisle Jack.

"Baby Jaycee might be a length or so below him but she is not far away.

"I always knew she could do this at Wentworth Park, it's just that until tonight she had never got it right at this track.''

She's A Pearl, who won the 2022 Golden Easter Egg, was unplaced in Baby Jaycee's race after missing the jump and being well back throughout.

Victa Damian, the other big name semi-finalist, also "bombed" the start in his fourth semi-final, taken out by $51 outsider Elle Yeah.

Eloise Manwaring, whose husband Allan trains Elle Yeah, said later: "She once trialled 29.70 at Wentworth Park and tonight she showed what she could do now that she has regained her confidence.

"Elle Yeah was a gift to us from her breeder Steve Fitch, our neighbour at Nowra.

"We had a single pup to rear and asked Steve if he could lend us a puppy to raise as company alongside our youngster.

"He presented us with a puppy, now racing as Elle Yeah, as a gift, so we gave Steve a 25 per cent share in the greyhound.''

Belmont Bullet was a second $51 semi-final winner, leading throughout for in-form trainer Joe McFadyen and his partner Kat Ernst.

Ernst explained: "Belmont Bullet is owned by Bryan Croft, a relation of my partner Joe McFadyen.

"Bryan had previously bought a pup from us but when that pup failed to make it to the racetrack we sold him one from the next litter, which races at Belmont Bullet.

"So Belmont Bullet, the first dog Bryan has raced, has made it to the final of the Golden Easter Egg!''

Fastest time of the night was posted by Mortified, who led all the way in the Free-For-All in 29.40, a week after being bundled out of the Easter Egg series through finishing fourth in She's A Pearl's heat.

NSW's top stayer Cawbourne Magic set the time standard for Saturday night's group 1 Association Cup heats, covering the 720m in 41.61.

Kennelmate Bandit Jane won in 41.90 with Zipping Whiskey landing the other heat in 41.96.