Dobbyn will start off 2.25m in the two-day carnival at Wendouree’s CE Brown Reserve at the weekend.

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games hopeful Maddie Coates was to have started off an unprecedented 3.25m behind scratch – a mark she earned after winning the Rye Open Gift – but her coach Scott Rowsell told The Courier on Monday that the star sprinter would not be contesting the $7600 Freight Bar Ballarat Women’s Gift.

He said the decision to miss the meet was a combination of the extremely tough handicap and ensuring her training program was right in her bid for selection for the Commonwealth Games in April.

Roswell said as much as he liked the Victorian Athletic League circuit, he did not want Coates tackling a two-day program at this stage in her preparation.

Coates is aiming at the 200m on the Gold Coast and needs to find another 0.16 seconds for an A-qualifier. She won the 200m and finished second in the 100m at Australian Capital Championships in Canberra at the weekend.

The women’s Gift opens right out without Coates.

Dobbyn put in some solid performances at the Victorian Country Track and Field

Championships in Ballarat at the weekend, with the 2014 Stawell Women’s Gift winner finishing second in the 100m and 200m.

Ballarat’s Grace O’Dwyer (the 2015 Stawell Women’s Gift winner) and reigning Stawell Women’s Gift champion Liv Ryan are on 4m in the six heats.

Ballarat Women's Gift backmarkers: Holly Dobbyn 2.25m, Grace O'Dwyer 4m, Angela Byrt 4m, Liv Ryan 4m, Abby Chapman 4.25m, Sophia Fighera 4.75m, Tara Domaschenz 5m, Taylah Perry 5m

Joe Bee has scratch in the $7600 Freight Bar Ballarat Gift, which will feature 10 heats.

The 2014 Ballarat Gift winner Nathan Riali has 2.25m and 2016 Stawell Gift winner Isaac Dunmall 2.5m 

In association with the carnival, Ballarat Athletic Club has organised a function to be held at the Freight Bar on Saturday night, which will feature Ballarat’s legendary distance runner Steve Moneghetti as guest speaker.

BALLARAT GIFT CARNIVAL

Saturday. February 3-Sunday, February 4

at CE Brown Reserve, Wendouree

SATURDAY

8.45am-5.15pm

Ballarat Gift heats

Ballarat Women’s Gift heats

SUNDAY

9am-4.30pm

Ballarat Gift semi-finals and final

Ballarat Women’s Gift semi-finals and final