Gleeson Tickled ‘Pink' With Shima Group Double

IT was a case of ‘pretty in pink' for veteran Victorian breeder David Gleeson when he celebrated a ‘Shima' Group race double at Geelong and Wentworth Park over the weekend.

On Friday night, Shima Shadow, a son of Bernardo and Shima Song, emulated his mother with a runaway all-the-way victory in the G2 Geelong Gold Cup Final (520m).

Shima Song, a daughter of Dyna Tron and Group-winning stayer Shimaguni, won the 2016 Geelong Cup, held over 460m.

Then at Saturday night's Golden Easter Egg meeting, Shima Current, a son of multiple G1-winning superstar Shima Shine, another son of Shima Song, took out the G3 The Ambrosoli (520m).

Both are trained by Tom Dailly and exited box eight in recording their first feature victories.

Shima Shadow's Geelong Cup triumph was thoroughly deserved.

It was his fifth appearance in a county cup final; his best previous finish a third placing at Shepparton, while he was also a G1 Hobart Thousand finalist last December.

Shima Shadow started $2.40 favourite and after scorching across to lead, ran his rivals ragged, trouncing Zipping Gryllis by 4.5 lengths in 29.77sec.

Shadow shines

SHIMA SHADOW was a brilliant winner of the 2024 @sportsbetcomau #GeelongGoldCup.

SHIMA SHADOW improved his already outstanding record at Geelong, making it eight wins to go with two minor placings at the track.#GreyhoundRacing pic.twitter.com/2JxXSH7log

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) April 22, 2024

The dominant display continued Shima Shadow's great affinity with his home track, where he's two from two over 520m and six of eight with two minors over 460m.

"Shima Shadow had never trialled or raced over 520m at Geelong before the heats," Dave Gleeson said.

"He was in a race at Sandown earlier in the year and he just capitulated – Shima Current actually won the race. 

"He pulled up very distressed and we thought he couldn't run ‘500', but it must have been some sort of virus.

"His two wins over 520m at Geelong were very powerful.

"When he got to the front in the final it was see you later alligator!

"He's been stiff not to win a good race before this. He's always had bad boxes in finals.

"He's a dog that needs room, because he's a long-striding galloper."

Shima Current was second reserve for the Golden Easter Egg after running third in his semi-final behind Mackenna and Zipping Megatron, which ran the quinella in the G1 showpiece.

Shima Current ($4.80) received $25,000 worth of Easter Egg consolation when holding the strong-finishing One Hot Bandit at bay, scoring by three-quarters in 30.12.

"The little bloke (Shima Current) got stopped in his tracks when he cut across," Gleeson said.

"How he stayed on his feet, I don't know. But he kept his feet and got going again.

"Even though the time looked ordinary, if he'd gone around without getting touched I think he could've run 29.40.

"The heat was the first time he'd ever seen the joint. He ran 29.75 running third in the semi-final, so who's to know what he might have run if he'd made the final."

Shima Shine's stud influence on Easter Egg night also included G1 Association Cup placegetter Valpolicella and Egg finalist Nangar Larry.

"Shima Shine is going along beautifully," Gleeson said.

"Already this year he's got more than 320 winners."

Thursday night's G2 Warrnambool Cup heats are next up for Shima Shadow (heat 1, box 3) and Shima Current (heat 5, box 6), along with Shima Dream (heat 5, box 3), a litter brother to Shima Shadow.

Gleeson shares in the ownership of both feature winners with long-time associate Bob Cummings, with Cummings' son Steve, also racing Shima Shadow in the CGC Syndicate as part of a "succession plan".

Gleeson and Cummings senior are joined in the Koowee Syndicate that owns Shima Current by brothers Michael and Glenn Hlldebrand and Paul Chopping.