The Doncaster Mile hasn’t been the happiest hunting ground for leading jockey Hugh Bowman but the signs point to Shoot Out changing that at Randwick on Saturday.
Bowman has not managed a place in the 1600-metre feature with his best result to date a fourth aboard Aqua D’Amore five years ago.
One of four runners for Chris Waller, Shoot Out has been given exactly the same preparation as stablemate Rangirangdoo when he won the Doncaster two years ago.
And his form has been remarkably similar, something that’s not lost on Bowman.
“This is the preparation Chris did with Rangirangdoo when he won it,” Bowman said.
“He’s the fresh horse on the scene.”
Rangirangdoo won the 2010 Expressway Stakes and was runner-up in the Apollo, Chipping Norton and Ranvet Stakes.
Waller then gave him a month off into the Doncaster with a barrier trial in between.
Shoot Out was third in the Expressway, second in the Apollo, won the Chipping Norton and finished third in the Ranvet.
He has also been given a month-long freshen up, and a barrier trial to keep him up to the mark.
Rangirangdoo was a five-year-old returning from injury when he claimed the Doncaster Mile.
Shoot Out is the same age and also trying to resurrect his career.
A two-time Group One winner as a three-year-old under John Wallace, he managed just two more wins before his form tapered off.
He was given a lengthy spell following a mixed winter campaign in Brisbane last year and the decision was made to transfer him to Waller in the hope a change of environment might spark a return to form.
The gelding has drawn barrier 10 for Saturday, the same gate Rangirangdoo had when he scored in 2010.
“It’s a beautiful draw,” Bowman said.
“The horse has progressed well through the preparation.
“He raced very well in the Chipping Norton then he probably just had to do a bit of work mid-race last time.
“The 2000 metres might have just found him out as well.”
Shoot Out also has a key gear change for the Doncaster with blinkers going on for the first time in more than two years.
He is the leading fancy of Waller’s quartet at $9.
TAB Sportsbet has Rangirangdoo at $12 to win the race a second time while Albert The Fat and Danleigh are $61 apiece.
Bowman feels Shoot Out has the perfect combination of fitness and freshness to give Waller his third Doncaster Mile in five years, with Triple Honour in 2008 his other.
“The horse has the miles in his legs but the month between runs might have just put that bit of freshness back into him too,” Bowman said.
