Shima Shadow wins 2024 Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup for Dailly’s
Victorian greyhound trainer, Tom Dailly, had half the field in Friday night's (April 19, 2024) 2024 Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup, but it was greyhound punters cheering loudest when race favourite Shima Shadow led from box-rise to win the race.
Tom Dailly rugged up four of the eight Geelong Cup finalists, chasing wife Andrea's two Geelong Cup victories with Dyna Tron in 2011 and Shima Song in 2016.
Fittingly, it was Shima Shadow, the son of the 2016 Geelong Cup winner Shima Song, who prevailed for Team Dailly and punters alike.
Punters had sent out Shima Shadow as the 2024 Geelong Cup favourite, paying +140 with online bookmakers.
In last week's Group 2 heats, Shima Shadow was narrowly the second fastest qualifier after winning his heat in 29.84, just behind kennelmate Oregon Durant, who won in 29.83.
But as the saying goes, “box draws win big races,” and after Shima Shadow drew wide for the 520 metre final, the son of Bernardo and Shima Song was always going to be hard to beat.
Shima Shadow has won almost half of his 52 race starts from boxes seven or eight.
Beginning well from box eight as expected, Shima Shadow used the home straight to the first time to drive to the lead by the winning post and assume control of the race.
Highballing out in front, the race became a procession with the first four out of the boxes, becoming the first four home without a change in order.
Shima Shadow beat Zipping Gryllis in 29.77 by 4.37 lengths, with Tommy Tequila 5.71 lengths back in third, and Storm Stroller fourth, 8.37 lengths from the winner.
2024 Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup – Shima Shadow (29.77) T: Tom Dailly
The win took Shima Shadow's career record to 23 wins from 52 starts, with a further 13 placings.
The black dog has won owner Dave Gleeson $207,125 in prizemoney, including last night's $75,000 Group 2 win.
Shima Shadow was contesting his sixth Group 1 or Group 2 final, having placed third in the recent 2024 Group 2 Shepparton Cup behind explicit, and having been unplaced in the 2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand, the 2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup, the 2023 Group 2 Bendigo Cup, and the 2024 Group 2 Horsham Cup.
The 35kg dog also finished fourth in the 2023 Listed Pink Diamond Sprinter final at Warragul.
2024 Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup
2024 Geelong Cup Results Geelong 520m Group 2 $75,000 to-the-winner Friday, April 19, 2024 29.77
|
|
| 1st |
8 Shima Shadow
T: Tom Dailly 29.77 – $75,000 +140
|
| 2nd |
7 Zipping Gryllis
|
| 3rd |
6 Tommy Tequila
T: Daniel Gibbons 30.17 5.71 lengths $10,665 +2090
|
| 4th |
4 Storm Stroller
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| 5th |
1 Ethanol Volume
T: Tom Daillys 30.38 8.73 lengths +920
|
| 6th |
3 Oregon Durant
T: Tom Dailly 30.40 8.91 lengths +710
|
| 7th |
5 Flying Zulu
T: Jason Thompson 30.41 9.14 lengths +320
|
| 8th |
2 Ethanol Extra
T: Tom Dailly 30.49 10.26 lengths +870
|