Shima Shine went fast last night. Really fast.
The second fastest ever over the Sandown Park 515m trip in fact, just one hundredth of a second – 0.01 seconds – outside of Hooked On Scotch’s 28.939 mark set in a TAB Melbourne Cup heat last year.
Despite the near identical times, the pair compiled their sprinting masterpieces in opposite ways.
Shima Shine has long been regarded one of the country’s fastest sprinters, a reputation earned when he broke the Ballarat 450m track record at just his seventh start. Early speed is key to his chances, and few can run the splits he’s capable of.
Hooked On Scotch is often billed as the world’s fastest greyhound, a reputation earned when setting the Sandown track record at his 15th career start. Strength is his key, and few can record the run home times he’s capable of.
The difference in racing styles is perfectly summed up in a look at their respective Sandown scorchers:
| Greyhound | Box | 1st split | 2nd split | Middle section | Run Home | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooked On Scotch | 8 | 5.11 | 18.61 | 13.5 | 10.329 | 28.939 |
| Shima Shine | 1 | 4.93 | 18.43 | 13.5 | 10.519 | 28.949 |
| Difference | -0.18 | -0.18 | 0 | 0.19 | 0.01 |
Two contrasting styles, just a centisecond between them. Whichever way you cut it – they are two extremely fast canines!
Sectional star
Shima Shine’s sections were also some of the fastest we’ve seen.
His first split of 4.93 was the equal 7th fastest (0.03 outside Fernando Bale and Black Magic Opal’s record) and his 18.43 second split was the 5th fastest (0.07 outside Fernando Bale’s mark). The 13.50 middle section is 0.10 outside of Simon Told Helen’s unofficial record.
It’s also a reminder of just how consistently fast Fernando Bale was. ‘Flying Fernando’ set four of the 10 fastest first split times, holds the three fastest second splits, the second fastest middle section (unofficial) and three of the 15 fastest overall times!
TAB Melbourne Cup firmer
Following the win last night, Shima Shine firmed from $17 into $11 for the TAB Melbourne Cup.
He sits on the second line of betting behind $9 equal favourites Simon Told Helen and Catch The Thief.
Hooked On Scotch and It’s A Blaze share the third line at $15.
Click here for the latest market from tab.com.au
Andrea Dailly, queen of the ’28 club’
Shima Shine (28.949) became the sixth greyhound to officially break 29 seconds for the 515m, joining kennel mates Bekim Bale (28.960), Fernando Bale (28.980) and Dyna Patty (28.999).
Hooked On Scotch (28.939) and Unlawful Entry (28.951) are the other two in the exclusive ‘club’. Nangar Rust ran 28.95 in an unofficial trial, the fastest such trial recorded.
Milestone looming
With a winning treble last night – the 66th Sandown metro treble of her career – Andrea Dailly now has 994 career winners at Sandown Park.
