Stakes are higher this Easter for female sprinters with an ten-fold increase to $60,000 on par with the headline men's 120-metre handicap title.

Dobbyn has been sidelined most of this Victorian Athletic League season with injury but was assigned a 6.5m start, unveiled on Monday, following her win last year.

Her coach Peter O'Dwyer said Dobbyn had been training well, but it was a tough mark for an athlete on limited race fitness.

POD Squad stablemates Jenna Cartledge and Grace O'Dwyer will also face leaner handicaps at Central Park, from April 3.

The entry of Australian 100m record holder Melissa Breen, who will run from scratch, has moved most VAL regulars forward an average three metres.

Cartledge (10.75m) and O'Dwyer (10.25m) each move forward 2.5m on marks they have run in major meets like Ballarat and Stonnington, where they have been finalists and placegetters.

They shared the podium with Ballarat Women's Gift winner Christine Wearne while Cartledge was runner-up in Stonnington and won the Maryborough Women's Necklace.

Breen won the 2012 Stawell Women's Gift off scratch but New South Wales' Ella Nelson (2.75m) looms as the one to watch.

Nelson upstaged Breen and Sally Pearson over 200m a week ago in the Sydney Track Classic.

Commonwealth Games representative Ashleigh Whittaker (2.5m), Australian world juniors sprinter Maddie Coates (4.5m) and three-time Olympian Lauren Wells (5.25m) are also in the 121-athlete field, already billed as one of the strongest Women's Gift field.

Australia's fastest schoolboy Jack Hale, who was Ballarat Gift ambassador in February, will run off 2.25m in Stawell.

The 16-year-old has created a buzz in amateur and professional running circuits this summer but missed competing in Ballarat due to a hamstring strain.

Hale's last Gift run was in Adelaide's Bay Sheffield and he was run out of his semi-final off a 2.75m handicap.

Stawell 2011 champion Mitchell Williams-Swain will run off scratch as he bids for a second Stawell sash.

Also at the back of the field is Australian World Championship representative Matt Davies on 0.75m.

Reigning Stawell champion Luke Versace has not entered and while 2013 winner Andrew Robinson (4m) is registered, he is unlikely to compete due to an Achilles injury.

Former Jamaican sprinter and bobsledder Khan Marr (3.25m) will be returning to Stawell after a year off.

Sam Baird (6.5m) is Ballarat's likely best chance. His primary focus is first on the 400m at nationals this week.

STAWELL GIFT

Hamish ADAMS 7.25 metres

David AFATH 5.25   

Koffi AGBALETI 9   

Blake BAILEY 9   

Jason BAILEY 8.5   

Stuart BAINBRIDGE 7   

Samuel BAIRD 6.5   

Corey BAKER 7.5   

Keita BANGALIE 4.5   

Ryan BEDFORD 4.5   

Ted BELCHER 7   

Andrew BOUDRIE 7.25   

Kevin BRITTAIN 7   

Richard BROWN 10   

Matt BURLEIGH 7.5   

Jordan CALDOW 1.75   

Duncan CAMERON 7.5   

Andrew CAMPBELL 9   

Matt CARTER 2   

Ryan CLOHESSY 8   

Lawrence COOP 10   

Simon CRICHTON 10   

Mathew CURRIE 7.25   

Jack D'ARCY 7   

Jarrad DARTNALL 10   

Matt DAVIES 0.75   

Jacob DESPARD 4.25   

Sam DICK 8   

Chris DIEGAN 10   

Nathan DIXON 10   

Dean DOBRIC 10   

Jack DODERICO 8   

Peter DUDKIEWICZ 10   

Cam DUNBAR 8.75   

Isaac DUNMALL 5.25   

JONATHAN DYKES 8.75   

Luke ECKFORD 8.25   

Matthew EDDY 7.75   

Alec EISZELE 9.5   

Tim ESCHEBACH 6.75   

Benjamin FARRELL 8.5   

Gary FINEGAN 4.5   

Simon FITZPATRICK 8.5   

David FLOOD 10   

Craig FOLEY 10   

Christian FOSTER 6   

Brandon GALIC 5.75   

Noah GELERIS 7.25   

Grayson GENN 8   

Jayden GILFILLAN 7.25   

Carrick GILL-VALLANCE 10   

Rhys GILLSON 8   

Jimmie GLADMAN 9.5   

Murray GOODWIN 6.5   

Douglas GREENOUGH 8.5   

Jack HALE 2.25   

Jake HAMMOND 2   

Matthew HARGREAVES 6.5   

Shaun HARGREAVES 6.75   

Christopher HARGREAVES 8   

Matthew HARVEY 10   

Dylan HICKS 9.75   

Mark HIGNETT 10   

Ryan HOFFMAN 10   

Martin HORNE 10   

Luke HOULIHAN 7.25   

John HOWE 5.25   

Darci HUGHES 7.5   

Cory INNES 6   

Christopher INNES-WONG 6   

Simon JACKSON 9   

Brodie JACKSON 7   

Vincent JASON 8   

Will JOHNS 5   

Kristerfer KARDAKOVSKI 7.5   

Bros KELLY 7.5   

William KERR 8.5   

Ben KIRK 6.75   

Jojo KWENIN 5.5   

Reece LA HAYE 7   

Brady LEHMANN 9.5   

Daniel LEMOTO 9.5   

William LITTLE 10   

Misha LIZOGUBOFF 9   

Conor LOUGHNAN 6.75   

Dale LYONS 9.75   

Andrew MACK 9   

Nick MAGREE 10   

Craig MAIR 10   

Jackson MALLORY 7   

Khan MARR 3.25   

Rodney MATHEWS 10   

Brendan MATTHEWS 6.75   

David MCCRAE 8.25   

Caleb McGRATH 8   

Nathan McNAB 9   

Ryan MCNAMARA 6.75   

Maxim MISHCHENKO 6.25   

Jake MISPELHORN 7   

Ben MISPELHORN 4   

Thomas MOLONEY 6.25   

Charlie MORAN 8.75   

Carl MOREHOUSE 6   

Cameron MOSS 8   

Kurt MULCAHY 4.5   

Matthew MURRAY 7.5   

Jasper NETTLEFOLD 7   

Jack NEWMAN 6.5   

Tom NEWMAN 6.5   

Henry NWOSU 8.5   

Peter O'DWYER 10   

Tom PAAVOLA 8.5   

Dylan PANIZZA 7.75   

Dion PAULL 8.25   

Aaron PENGELLY 9   

Jake PENNY 6   

Matt PERRY 7.5   

Leigh PHELAN 10   

David POLICHOVSKI 10   

Liam PROCACCINO 8.25   

Max PUNCHIHEWA 8   

Nicholas REPALUST 7   

Brett RICHARDS 7   

Daniel RICHARDSON 8.5   

Matthew RIZZO 7.25   

Andrew ROBINSON 4   

Stuart ROOKE 9   

Tim ROOKE 4.25   

Darcy ROPER 5.75   

Timothy ROSEN 10   

Glenn ROSS 10   

Chad RYAN 9.5   

Jake RYDER 10   

Jake SANDERS 7   

Tjimarri SANDERSON 7   

Dean SCARFF 5.5   

Ryan SCHMIDT 7.25   

Tom SCLANDERS 7   

Vic SHARMA 10   

Liam SHEPHERD 8   

Marty SINCLAIR 10   

Bikramjeet SINGH 9.5   

Robert SPENCER 7.75   

Daniel STEINHAUSER 8.5   

Luke STEVENS 2.5   

Laurent STEWART 6.25   

Luke STORTA 8   

Ben SYRUS 7   

Russel TAIB 6   

Paul TANCREDI 7.25   

Lachlan TAYLOR 9.75   

Bryce TEO 6.25   

Josh TIU 8   

Jordan TRONNOLONE 8.25   

Mitchell TYSOE 6.5   

Ryan VALENT 8.5   

Connor VERRALL 7.75   

James VINE 6   

Michael VOUMARD 9.75   

Edward WARE 8.25   

Luke WHITNEY 7.25   

Darren WHITTAKER 10   

Mitchell WILLIAMS 0   

James WOODGATE 6.25   

Dale WOODHAMS 6.25   

Shane WOODROW 10   

Hayden WYLLIE 9   

Thomas YEUNG 7  

STAWELL WOMEN'S GIFT 

Cleo ANDERSON 12.5 metres 

Becky ANDREW 12   

Tara ANGELL 9.75   

Karlee BAILEY 11   

Chloe BARNARD 14   

Sarah BLIZZARD 9.5   

Tiffany BOATMAN 14   

Cara BOUSTEAD 13.25   

Melissa BREEN 0   

Monica BRENNAN 3.5   

Genevieve BROOKS 12   

Nadeen BROWN 14   

Lauren BUCANAN 11   

Kara BULL 13.5   

Annaliese BUSH 9.25   

Angela BYRT 5   

Rachael CARNEGIE 12   

Hannah CARTER 8.5   

Jenna CARTLEDGE 10.75   

Belinda CARUSI 13.75   

Lilly CASTLE 11   

Maddie COATES 4.5   

Nicola COOMBE 14   

Ashleigh CORBETT 8.25   

Sarah COTCHETT 13   

Carmen DEANE 14   

Lillian DICK 10   

Holly DOBBYN 6.5   

Nadia DOMASCHENZ 11.25   

Tara DOMASCHENZ 7   

Catherine DONALDSON 14   

Jacinta DOYLE 5   

Rommi DRISCOLL 14   

Hettie DRISCOLL 14   

Mikayla DUNN 12.25   

Celeste DYER 14   

Tierra EXUM 12   

Gemma FAIRCLOUGH 12   

Jessica FARRUGIA 14   

Olivia FIEN 10.5   

Eleni GILDEN 12.5   

Rosamond GILDEN 14   

Lauren GORRINGE 9.75   

Elly GRAF 4.5   

Catherine HANNELL 11   

Samantha HARGREAVES 14   

Genevieve HART 14   

Tara HAWKING 7   

Caitlin HAWKS 12   

Keely HENDERSON 13.75   

Grainne HENRY 14   

Niamh HENRY 14   

Catherine HIBBERD 14   

Laura Jane HILDITCH 8.25   

Courtney HILL 10.5   

Julie HOVEY 14   

Kendra HUBBARD 5   

Kate Hudson 12   

Natasha HUGHES 10.5   

Sarah HUNTINGTON 14   

Sally JAMIESON 14   

Stephanie JINKS 14   

Kate JONES 11.75   

Katie JURY 14   

Nicole KAY 5.25   

Lauren KEATING 14   

Rosie KELLY 10.5   

Liesl KETT 14   

Jess LEHMANN 12.5   

Narelle LEHMANN 13.25   

Ellie MAGUIRE 14   

Sarah MARSHALL 11   

Talia MARTIN 14   

Lucy MAYO 12   

Jacqueline McCANN 14   

Kelly MCDONNELL 12.5   

Natasha McDOWELL 14   

VERONICA McNEVIN 8.5   

Kellie MEYER 8.5   

Morgan MITCHELL 5.5   

Katie MOORE 8   

Kasey MOORE 14   

Hollie MORAN 14   

Ellie NAGLE 11   

Ella NELSON 2.75   

Grace O'DWYER 10.25   

Hayley OPENSHAW 12.5   

Yasmin OPENSHAW 14   

Hayley ORMAN 11   

Anna PASQUALI 14   

Jessica PAYNE 11.5   

Corey PENDRY 13   

Taylah PERRY 8.25   

Angela PHILLIPS 14   

Samantha POMROY 13.75   

Bridget POWELL 9.5   

Sophia POWER 11   

Stephanie POWER 7   

Melanie PURKISS 10.25   

Kiara REDDINGIUS 9.25   

Stephanie RICHARDS 10.5   

Simone ROTHE 14   

Monica RUSSELL 14   

Samantha SAMMUT 14   

Loryn SAVOIA 14   

Poppy SCHWASS 9.25   

Tiana SHILLITO 14   

Bethany SIMPSON 14   

Kirsty STEVENS 12.5   

Davina STRAUSS 9.5   

Karly TAFFT 14   

Sophie TAYLOR 7.5   

Carryne TEO 12   

Ali TREWARTHA 13.25   

Lynette VINEY 9.75   

Sophie WATTS 13   

Lauren WELLS 5.25   

Tori WEST 11   

Ashleigh WHITTAKER 2.5   

Sophie WOOD 13   

Emma YATES 11.5