A glorious autumn race day capped off by a gutsy back-to-back performance by Shoot Out in the day’s feature race, the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm Racecourse on Saturday.
Shoot Out’s trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman have made the season’s first Group 1 race their own; this being their third consecutive victory with Shoot Out winning last year and today’s third place-getter, Danleigh saluting in 2011.
Shoot Out, the six-year-old gelding who started as race favourite, struck late on the post outgunning the impressive Monton (Ron Quinton) and stablemate Danleigh (Waller).
Waller, based at Rosehill Gardens, sung the highest praise for his charge whose earnings have now exceeded $3 million.
“These types of horses are exceptional … we can only learn from them,” Waller said.
Bowman also paid tribute to his mount post-race, although his own patience and strategy were undeniably key factors in the exciting race finish.
“I knew I couldn’t win going around them, so I changed my mind and got a saloon passage,” Bowman said.
“It’s not often you can change your mind and still win like that. This bloke (Shoot Out) deserves it thoroughly.”
Shoot Out will now be set for the Daily Telegraph George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on 6 April before the BMW Doncaster at Royal Randwick a fortnight later.
Source : Australian Turf Club
