By Jason Adams
Shima Shine set Sandown Park alight last Thursday night with a blistering 28.95 win, becoming the second fastest greyhound ever to grace the circuit.
Anticipation throughout the week was high with the run set to be his first on a metropolitan track since the Easter Gift in April. He began like a rocket and set splits of 4.93 (0.03 off the record) and 18.43 (0.07 off the record), which are reserved for the absolute elite.
His overall time was officially 28.949 – just a hundredth off Hooked on Scotch’s (28.939) track record set last November.
“I’m more surprised about the first split that he set. I expected him to go well and set a fast time somewhere in the low 29s, but that’s amazing,” said Korie Heinrich, handler and daughter of trainer Andrea Dailly.
This time last year Shima Shine began his career in a blaze of glory and, in just his seventh start, broke the long standing 450m track record at Ballarat. For the early part of 2020 he battled setbacks, however returned to form in late May and has since won six of his past seven outings, including recording another track record at Bendigo in a heat of the Cup.
Shima Shine is bred and owned by great friends David Gleeson and Bob Cummings. Gleeson was understandably over the moon with the performance.
“The run was that good it’s hard to explain!” Gleeson explained.
“He’s had a lot of setbacks since he was crunched in the Topgun last November. It’s taken some time to get him right but this is what he can do when sound.
“Bob and I have bred this line for a long time. We’ve been successful but this is the most outstanding greyhound we’ve had.”
It’s expected Shima Shine will head towards the Victorian Sprint heats, which will be held at Sandown Park on Thursday, 6 August.
Shima Shine’s first split was the seventh-fastest ever recorded and his second split the fifth fastest. Fernando Bale and Black Magic Opal hold the first split record at 4.90, with Fernando also holding the second split record at 18.36.
