Simply Limelight New Sensation (G3)

Sensational Heats On Wednesday

By Jeff Collerson
Power And Glory has not raced at Wentworth Park but will be all the rage for Wednesday night's fourth heat of the Simply Limelight New Sensation after clocking a sensational 29.40 in a 520m trial at the track.

Power And Glory has box one and trainer Ken Burnett said: "He has only has to get the start right and come safely through the first turn.

"He doesn't have to lead, he can come from behind and win because he is so strong.

"At his first look at Wenty Power And Glory's first split was 5.59 and I thought to myself, we're in trouble here, that's not quick enough.

"But when he trialled 29.40 recently his first section was a far more promising 5.46 while his run home time was outstanding at 11.60.

Power And Glory


"I have been training for 20 years and Power And Glory is the best I've had.

"I have had some good dogs but none anywhere near as fast as this bloke.''

Tootsie Tears, who has won 10 of only a dozen races, is perfectly drawn in box eight in heat one of the New Sensation according to trainer Michael Ivers.

"Box eight is where she wants to be,'' Ivers said.

"Tootsie Tears has a really big motor and what's so good about her is that she has plenty of early pace.''

Tootsie Tears is remarkably versatile because after winning over 603m at Gosford and 600m at Ladbrokes Gardens in February she posted a best of the night 22.18sec in scoring over 388m at Gosford on March 26.

Victorian greyhounds Hooksy and Devine Empress won the New Sensation finals in 2014 and 2022 and the John Paraskevas-trained Aunt Virginia gives Melbourne a strong hand again this year.

Aunt Virginia has box eight in heat two and Paraskevas' son Andrew, also a successful trainer, said the greyhound has not been in better form.

In January Aunt Virginia won a heat of the Group 1 National Futurity in 29.59 at Wentworth Park but took a tumble in the final and was spelled.

She has won each of her five races since resuming in February and March and Andrew Varaskevas said: "Aunt Virgina is going a bit better than she was when she was last in Sydney.

"The experience of travelling interstate in January has done her the world of good and she trialled recently at Warragul and Shepparton on the same days as Mackenna went around.

"In each trial Mackenna went two-tenths faster than Aunt Virgina but we are happy with that considering Mackenna clocked the second fastest time ever posted at Wentworth Park when she won her Golden Easter Egg heat last Saturday.''

Frank Hurst opted to tackle the $40,000 to the winner New Sensation instead of the $350,000 for first Golden Easter Egg with his exciting prospect Good Odds Cobber and the dog has drawn well in box three in heat three.

Good Odds Cobber's past three winning margins have averaged seven lengths and with wide running Gets Late Early in box four, Hurst's greyhound should get a clear run from box three on Wednesday night.

"Since he won at Richmond on March 27 Good Odds Cobber has not been trialled, he wound up his training for Wednesday with a whistled up hand-slip up my track on Easter Monday.'' Hurst said.

Good Odds Cobber's best Wentworth Park time of 29.33 is just .06sec faster than the personal best Wenty figures of Zipping Optimise, his main rival on Wednesday night.

But Zipping Optimise has drawn seven and has won just three of his seven races from boxes seven and eight.

Best Bet Power And Glory (race 10)
Best Value Tootsie Tears (race 7)

Quaddie
Race 5 - 8, 2, 1
Race 6 - 8, 4, 7
Race 7 - 8, 1
Race 8 - 8, 3, 7
$20 for 37.03%