CAUL AUG 14 - SHOOT OUT GUNS THEM DOWN

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, August 15, 2010

Caulfield, August 14, 2010.
Track – Slow 7. Rail - out 7.0m.
J.J. Liston Stakes Group Two 3YO+ WFA - 1400m.
Time: 1-27.28. (Carrying 58.5kg).
1 Shoot Out; 2 Predatory Pricer; 3 Heart of Dreams.

Gold Coast trainer John Wallace’s potential superstar Shoot Out managed to make it back to back Caulfield wins when he impressively took out the last running of the time honoured Group Two J.J. Liston Stakes over 1400 metres.

It wasn’t the fact that he wasn’t fancied to win the Liston, but it was the manner in which he disposed of quality opposition by sitting three and four wide throughout the race.

After winning impressively first up over what appeared to be an unsuitable distance of 1200 metres, Shoot Out was sent out a firming favourite with on course punters to start a pronounced favourite at 3.00.

Shoot Out, partnered by regular jockey Stathi Katsidis jumped away on terms with the field and he had no hesitation in letting the son of High Chaparral find his feet in a trailing position as the early running was taken up by a host of runners which included Monaco Consul, Predatory Pricer, Carrara and wider on the track was Sterling Prince.

As the field negotiated the first turn at the top of the track and commenced the run down the side into the stiff headwind, Carrara raced out of the pack and took up the running by a length from Kiwi stayer Sterling Prince.

Last year’s Liston winner Predatory Pricer for jockey Craig Newitt had elected to take a sit and eased to race third one off the fence. Outside of Predatory Pricer was Shamoline Warrior and outside of him was the favourite Shoot Out. The VRC Derby winner from 2009, Monaco Consul was saving ground along the fence to settle midfield. Melbourne Cup winner Shocking was balanced up and whipped the field in ten lengths off the leader.

Katsidis and Shoot Out were caught four wide down the side of the track and with no cover were exposed to the strong prevailing winds. Due to only a moderate tempo Katsidis and Shoot Out were just four lengths off the leader, who was Carrara. In a bunched field which saw only ten lengths first to last, the majority of the field were content to sit two and three off the fence in an attempt to avoid the inferior ground.

One runner that was obliged to stay inside of runners was the Mick Price trained Heart of Dreams for jockey Damien Oliver. The pair settled in fifth last position, seven lengths off the lead.

Approaching the home turn, Carrara was allowed to stay six and seven horses off the fence and this in turn allowed Predatory Pricer to stride along his inside and challenge for the lead.

Kiwi visitor Sterling Prince had come off the bit for jockey Steven King and around his heals came Shamoline Warrior and even wider was the favourite Shoot Out. Saving ground and sticking to the fence was Monaco Consul and following him through was Heart of Dreams.

As the field balanced up in the early part of the straight Predatory Pricer raced through inside of Carrara and hit the front under the urgings of Craig Newitt. To his immediate inside was stablemate Heart of Dreams who had saved considerable ground towards the inside of the track. The favourite Shoot Out was wide on the track and spotting the leader four lengths start.

Katsidis allowed the Gold Coast gelding fifty metres to balance up and then asked for an effort. He quickly raced away from Shamoline Warrior who was starting to tire. Out wide on the track was Vigor and he had made reasonable ground to run into fourth position.
But it was Shoot Out who was finding the line with the most gusto as he loomed alongside Predatory Pricer at the 100 metre mark.

Predatory Pricer, who was starting to get a little leg weary in his first racetrack appearance since last year’s Caulfield Cup, started to layout under pressure and had a brief bumping duel with Shoot Out. But over the concluding stages the wide run and the bumping duel did not affect Shoot Out’s stamina as he powered to the line to win by a long head from Predatory Pricer and a further two and a quarter lengths back to Hear of Dreams in third position.

In a field packed with spring campaigners who had bigger fish to fry, Shoot Out’s performance was as impressive as one could have hoped. Despite being second-up on a rain affected surface, Shoot Out was able to sit wide for the majority of the race, mostly without cover and prove too strong.

Of the runners resuming in the race the obvious flashing light performance was Predatory Pricer’s effort. He was able to sit on the speed and kick strongly when asked for the supreme effort by jockey Craig Newitt and he will improve greatly from the run.

Zavite was able to make solid ground out wide on the track to finish fifth just ahead of Monaco Consul who raced on the inferior going for the entire race from his inside barrier, but nothing can be taken away from Shoot Out’s superb performance and he will only improve as the distances increase.

The only dampener for the Shoot Out team was a careless riding suspension incurred by Katsidis after an incident at the 600 metre mark. Katsidis will be free to ride Shoot Out in his next start, the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on August 28.


WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer John Wallace: “He’s a good horse and he knows how to win.

“I was thinking how wide can this bloke get, but he knew what he was doing anyway. He’s just a good racehorse. He loves to win and I’m so proud of him.

“This horse will get better too. I’m telling you look out!

“He’s nowhere near ready … he’s nowhere near ready. I’ve just been playing about with him. He might find it hard next start to beat Typhoon Tracy over 1400 metres, but after that look out when he goes a bit further.

“I love it. I love it. Anyway Moody’s me mate so I love to have a go at him.

“I think if you’re a horse trainer you can hold them up. I’m wrapt in myself for that. I wrap myself. You’ve got to wrap someone!

“He’ll win the Cox Plate. We’ll see about the Melbourne Cup. He won’t run there unless I think he can win, I’ll promise you that.”

Jockey Stathi Katsidis: “The horse is flying and he probably shouldn’t be winning these races and he is.

“He didn’t have a lot of luck today. I drew awkward and it was the sort of thing to do to get out wide. I was lucky enough to get cover for some of the race, but then I copped a lot of bumps from the inside and from the 600 metres I was getting screwed sideways and then his class came through about the 300 metres and he went forward and hit the front.

“He’s a big, long horse and he gets unbalanced easy. He was unbalanced coming around the corner again today. I just had to keep him balanced and I thought I could win, but then the second horse shifted out and bumped him a few times and that sort of cost him a bit of ground, but I thought I’ll just keep him balanced and he will do what he has to do.

“He pulled up today and he’s had a tiny little blow, but John’s had him just fit enough today for a 1400. I’m not sure if it’s a mile or whatever next start but I’m sure he’ll be just fit enough then.

“I suppose a lot of people might think he’s peaking too early, but these are his barrier trials these races. He’s won two hundred thousand the last couple of starts, so it’s pretty good trial money.

“When he sees other horses in front of him, he really chases hard, that’s why he’s so much better ridden of the pace.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Shoot Out): 2.50 out to 3.00.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1200m, Shamoline Warrior brushed with Tollespirit which shifted out resulting in Shamoline Warrior shifting out towards Shoot Out.

Approaching the 200m, Apprehend clipped the heels of Sterling Prince (NZ), which shifted out slightly. At the same time, Apprehend lost its rightful running when Shamoline Warrior shifted in and away from Shoot Out. Whilst the degree of interference suffered by Apprehend was significant, Stewards could not be satisfied that any rider or riders could be held responsible for the incident.

Near the 100m, Predatory Pricer, which was laying out under pressure, shifted out and bumped Shoot Out.

M Zahra (Carrara) was of the view that his mount should have been suited by the slow pace but was under pressure from the 600m and he could offer no excuses for today’s performance.

S Katsidis (Shoot Out) was found guilty of a charge of careless riding under the provisions of AR.137A, the careless riding being that passing the 600m he permitted his mount to shift in to a point where he unnecessarily crowded Shamoline Warrior, resulting in Shoot Out and Shamoline Warrior bumping and in turn, both horses being severely hampered.

After considering all the evidence, S Katsidis had his licence to ride in races suspended for a period to commence at midnight Saturday 14 August and to expire at midnight on Thursday 23 August, 2010 (9 race meetings – 2 metro/7 provincial).

G Boss (Tollespirit), reported on the scales that the gelding was making an abnormal respiratory noise during and after the race.

A veterinary examination of Tollespirit revealed no abnormalities, however, trainer Mr S Fliedner was of the opinion that Tollespirit had choked down. Mr Fliedner advised that Tollespirit would now undergo a full veterinary examination and he would undertake to notify Stewards accordingly of these findings.

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