Trainer John Wallace has heard it all and isn’t letting critics of last year’s AJC Australian Derby winner Shoot Out get under his skin.
Shoot Out, who lines up for his last run this campaign in Saturday’s Group Two Eagle Farm Cup (2200m), has been dubbed overrated and a non-stayer by some of his detractors.
Some have even suggested his 2010 Derby victory came in a bad year for staying three-year-olds.
Shoot Out hasn’t won since the Group Two Liston Stakes at Caulfield last August en route to his failed Melbourne Cup campaign.
The Liston Stakes victory was over 1400 metres, a distance some critics suggest is around his best distance.
Shoot Out’s form suggests his critics could be right as apart from the four-year-old’s AJC Australian Derby (2400m) victory the son of High Chaparral has never won beyond 1600 metres.
But Wallace isn’t listening and will let Shoot Out do his talking.
Shoot Out is stepping up further in distance in the Eagle Farm Cup following his last-start fifth to Scenic Shot in the Group One Doomben Cup (2020m) on May 21.
Wallace hasn’t deviated from his program with Shoot Out who started his campaign in Sydney when ninth to Black Caviar in the Group One TJ Smith (1200m) at Randwick before a moderate fifth to Hay List in the Group One All-Aged Stakes (1400m) on a heavy track at the same course in April.
He then returned to Queensland to finish a close and unlucky fifth to the Chris Waller-trained My Kingdom Of Fife in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast prior to his Doomben Cup defeat.
Wallace hasn’t been disappointed with any of Shoot Out’s weight-for-age performances and believes luck has deserted him several times.
“There’s nothing wrong with the horse,” Wallace said.
“He’s just been unlucky a few times.”
Shoot Out and Queensland Oaks favourite Scarlett Lady galloped together at the Gold Coast on Tuesday leaving Wallace confident he’s close to a win.
“He worked with Scarlett Lady here on Tuesday and the pair of them worked very strongly,” Wallace said.
“There’s only six runners on Saturday and I’m confident he’ll be hard to beat.”
Sydney jockey Corey Brown has ridden Shoot Out at his past seven starts in three states but local rider Glen Colless will be aboard for the Eagle Farm Cup.
Wallace has parted company with Brown hoping a new rider with bring a change of luck.
AAP TURF
