Shima Shine To Headline Ballarat Cup Heats

STAR sprinter Shima Shine will headline Monday's Group 2 Ballarat Cup heats following his shock omission from the Golden Easter Egg series at Wentworth Park.

The reigning Topgun hero finished a disappointing fifth in his Golden Easter Egg heat last weekend, failing to qualify for Saturday night's semi-finals.

It left connections with the decision of whether to target Monday's Ballarat Cup heats or head west for Saturday week's heats of the Group 1 Perth Cup at Cannington.

"We've decided to stay at home and head to Ballarat on Monday," said Tom Dailly. “It just makes the most sense.”

Winner of the Group 2 Horsham Cup in early March, a victory in the Ballarat Cup would see Shima Shine one step away from claiming GRV's $50,000 bonus for winning three country cups in a 12-month period.

The Ballarat Cup series also hands the two-time group 1 winner an opportunity to reclaim his Ballarat track record.

The son of Barcia Bale previously held the record at 24.75 before it was broken by Pirate Pete at 24.70.

The time-standard now stands with boom youngster Silver Lake at 24.69.

Shima Shine boasts track records at Bendigo, Horsham and Warragul.

Meanwhile, Team Dailly has announced that Sunset Bourbski will bypass Saturday night's Group 1 Association Cup heats at Wentworth Park.

"She will go to Perth for the Group 1 Galaxy heats the following week," Dailly said.

"As of now she's the only one we've got heading to Perth."