Mair, in his return to running after a two-month break from competition, was stunned. The veteran ran off 12 metres, having been pulled back two metres after his win in Albury.

"I thought this field was way too hot for me to win, and that Albury would be too good," Mair said.

"To be honest, this final is the biggest race I've ever been in. I've never made a final like Ballarat before.

"To win it is mind-boggling. I'm still not sure how I did it."

Meanwhile, super Sydney sprinter Christine Wearne ploughed down the $5000 Ballarat Women's Gift final field for victory off 0.25 metres.

Wearne pipped Ballarat duo Jenna Cartledge (8.25m) and Grace O'Dwyer (7.75m) in the gates.

"I came here and just wanted to make a semi-final and thought that'll be an achievement," Wearne said.

"I didn't expect to win at all."

RESULTS

GIFT

Craig Mair (12m) 12.36secs

Christopher Innes-Wong (7.5m) 12.42s

Tim Eschebach (6.75m) 12.42s

Darren Whittaker (12m) 12.64s

Stuart Rooke (9m) 12.49s

Matthew Harvey(10m) 12.53s

Edward Ware (8m) 12.57s

Mark Hignett (10.5m) 12.68s

WOMEN'S GIFT

Christine Wearne (0.25m) 13.91s

Jenna Cartledge (8.25m) 14.05s

Grace O'Dwyer (7.75m) 14.08s

Kirsty Stevens (9.5m) 14.18s

Angela Phillips (11.25m) 14.24s

Megan McMahon (18m) 14.27s

Taylah Perry (8m) 14.30s

Keely Henderson (10.75m) 14.42s

UPDATE: MATT Harvey and Tim Eschebach are shaping as the athletes to beat in this afternoon's Ballarat Gift 120-metre final.

Harvey clocked the fastest semi-final time of 12.41 seconds to claim his spot, with Eschebach almost his equal to win semi- final three in 12.49 seconds.

South Australian and 2014 Stawell Gift finalist Christopher Innes-Wong also impressed to win semi-final four.

Stuart Rooke and Edward Ware wiped out Ballarat hopes. Hometown favourite Sam Baird was a narrow third to the pair in semi one, which also featured Ballarat sprinters Shane Woodrow, Peter O'Dwyer and Liam Procaccino.

BALLARAT GIFT FINAL

Tim Eschebach 6.75m

Christopher Innes-Wong 7.5m

Edward Ware 8m

Stuart Rooke 9m

Matthew Harvey 10m

Mark Hignett 10.5m

Craig Mair 12m

Darren Whittaker 12.25m

BALLARAT teen sensations Grace O'Dwyer and Jenna Cartledge will fly hometown hopes in Ballarat Women's Gift 120-metre final on Sunday afternoon.

Sydney sprinter Christine Wearne again proved the hot favourite, taking out semi-final three in 14.01 seconds.

Wearne's performance earned an applause from the stands just like her stellar heat win on Saturday evening. She looked far from fazed after being Pulled back from one metre to 0.25m for the semis for a late submission of a personal best time to the handicappers.

Wearne edged out Cartledge (8.25m), having pipped O'Dwyer (7.75m) in the heats.

O'Dwyer surged in the blue to win semi-final four and stake her final spot.

BALLARAT WOMEN'S GIFT FINAL

Christine Wearne 0.25m

GRACE O'DWYER 7.75m

Taylah Perry 8m

JENNA CARTLEDGE 8.25m

Kirsty Stevens 9.5m

Keely Henderson 10.75m

Angela Phillips 11.25m

Megan McMahon 18m

Gift final to run at 3.35pm, women's final 3.25pm

SATURDAY: BACKMARKER Luke Stevens clocked the fastest qualifying time for the Ballarat Gift heats on Saturday evening.

Stevens, racing off 3.25m, clocked 12.45 seconds in heat five for the marquee 120-metre event at Eastern Oval.

In-form Thornton sprinter Tim Eschebach (6.75m) almost matched him, clocking 12.46  to win heat seven.

They set the tone for the $16,000 Freight Bar and Restaurant Ballarat Gift stakes with the top-two placegettera from all 12 heats advancing to Sunday's semi-finals.

Nathan Dixon (8.5m) was he sole hometown heat winner, taking out heat three.

Peter O'Dwyer (10.5m) and his charges Sam Baird (6.5m) and Liam Procaccino (8.25m) were also automatic qualifiers from the heats.

Ballarat's Shane Woodrow (9.5m) has staked a spot as one of the next eight fastest qualifiers.

Gift semi-finals will run from noon tomorrow.

GIFT SEMI-FINALS

SEMI-FINAL ONE

Sam Baird 6.5m

Matthew Eddy 6.5m

Andrew Boudrie 6.75m

Edward Ware 8m

Liam Procaccino 8.25m

Stuart Rooke 9m

Shane Woodrow 9.5m

Peter O'Dwyer 10.5m

SEMI-FINAL TWO

Mikael Arminana3.5

Max Punchihewa 6.5m

Micholas Repalust 6.75m

Jason Bailey 8.5m

Dean Dobrici 10m

Matthew Harvey 10m

Brad Schutz 10.75m

Craig Mair 12m

SEMI-FINAL THREE

Bryce Teo 5.75m

Brendan Matthews 6.5m

Tim Eschebach 6.75m

Darci Hughes  7.25m

Nathan Dixon 8.5m

Simon Jackson 8.5m

Mark Highnett 10.5m

Leigh Phelan 11m

SEMI-FINAL FOUR

Luke Stevens 3.25m

Ryan McNamara 6.5m

Luke Houlihan 7.25m

Christopher Innes-Wong 7.5m

Cam Dunbar 8m

Derek Collinge 9.25m

Peter Dudkiewicz 10.5m

Darren Whittaker 12.25m

MEANWHILE, Sydney sprinter Christine Wearne made clear what it will take to beat her for the Ballarat Women's Gift at Eastern Oval.

Wearne flew off one-metre to hunt down the field for a clear win in heat six on Saturday evening.

Her time of 13.93 seconds earned a rousing applause from the stands.

Athletes have the chance to regroup and digest with semi-finals scheduled for Sunday morning.

Five Ballarat sprinters earned automatic passes to the semis as a top-two placegetter in the heats. Eighteen fastest qualifiers are yet to be confirmed.

Young Talia Martin (12m) was the sole hometown heat winner, taking out heat three.

Tara Domaschenz (3.5m), Jenna Cartledge (8.25m), Grace O'Dwyer 7.75m) and Cleo Anderson (9.5m) were heat runners-up.

Cartledge finished ahead of world junior championship 200m semi-finalist Maddie Coates, while O'Dwyer was second to Wearne with Ballarat's Kate Jones third.

UPDATE: Christine Wearne will run the Women's Gift semi-finals off the 0.25m mark as a penalty for a late submission to handicappers of her latest personal best time. This now makes Wearne the backmarker for the women's field, off a tigher mark than world junior championship sprinter Maddie Coates, who is running off 0.5m.

WOMEN'S GIFT SEMI-FINALS

SEMI-FINAL ONE

Maddie Coates 0.5m

Sophie Taylor 3.25m

Karee Bailey 7.75m

Mikayla Round 8.5m

Kirsty Stevens 9m

Keely Henderson 10.75m

Talia Martin 12m

Cassandra Anderson 17.5m

SEMI-FINAL TWO

Angela Byrt 1m

Bridget Powell 6m

Lilly Castle 7.75m

Taylah Perry 8m

Cleo Anderson 9.5m

Angela Phillips 11.25m

Hettie Driscoll 12.5m

Lauren McHugh 18m

SEMI-FINAL THREE

Christine Wearne 0.25m

Stephanie Richarsd 6m

Kimberley Geelan 8m

Jenna Cartledge 8.25m

Jessica Lehmann 8.5m

Kate Jones 9.5m

Tarryn Fisher 15.75m

Samantha Hargreaves 18m

SEMI-FINAL FOUR

Tara Domaschenz 3.5m

Czenya Cavouras 7.5m

Grace O'Dwyer 7.75m

Sophie Wood 8.5m

Loryn Savoia 11.5m

Ruby Klemm 17m

Danielle McDowell 18m

Megan McMahon 18m