Trainer John Wallace believes Shoot Out is ready to reproduce last year’s AJC Australian Derby winning form in the Group One Doomben Cup.
Shoot Out, who has drawn barrier three, faces nine rivals in Saturday’s 2020m weight-for-age feature.
Wallace, who regularly weighs his horses, revealed Shoot Out was close to the same weight as when he claimed last year’s Group One AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
“He was 508 kilos when he won the Derby and he’s 510 kilos now,” Wallace said.
Wallace was delighted with the four-year-old’s barrier and said he could not fault the gelding’s work since his close fifth to My Kingdom Of Fife in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 7.
“The barrier is perfect,” Wallace said.
“He’s done well since the Hollindale and his work on Tuesday was the best he’s done this time in.”
Wallace felt Shoot Out was unlucky not to finish closer to imported stayer, My Kingdom Of Fife who maintained his unbeaten southern hemisphere record in the Hollindale Stakes.
“He’s fit and very close to the same form he was in before he won the Derby in Sydney last year,” Wallace said.
“I thought he was a bit unlucky in the Hollindale. He missed a couple of runs and Scenic Shot pushed him out a couple of times.”
Wallace plans to give Shoot Out only one more start in the Group Two Eagle Farm Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 4 before preparing for a Melbourne spring campaign.
Wallace has yet to talk with owners Graham and Linda Huddy about Shoot Out’s future beyond the spring and said reports of a possible trip to Hong Kong in December haven’t been discussed.
“I haven’t even thought about Hong Kong. I don’t know where that’s come from,” he said.
Wallace felt Shoot Out’s rivals had a fitness edge in the Hollindale Stakes but was confident the son of High Chaparral was still on the up after three runs this campaign.
Shoot Out, a Corey Brown mount, will wear winkers instead of blinkers in the Doomben Cup.
Wallace is hoping the Doomben Cup will be run at a solid clip despite the lack of a genuine frontrunner.
“My bloke will go very close but I’d like some speed in the race,” he said.
“Shadows In The Sun could be the one to lead. He led the day he won the South Australian Derby.”
Trainer Anthony Cummings wants a dry track for Shadows In The Sun who could be reserved for the Group Three Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week if Doomben is rain-affected.
Cummings will have two runners in the Doomben Cup with Zavite, barrier six, joining Shadows In The Sun from gate one.
My Kingdom Of Fife and Glass Harmonium, another European import, were TAB Sportsbet’s $3.80 equal favourites on Wednesday.
AAP TURF
