Super galloper Shoot Out is set to kick-off their Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaign this Saturday with a run in the first Group race of the season, the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

After a brilliant autumn that culminated with a win in the Group 1 AJC Derby (2400m) at Randwick, the John Wallace-trained High Chaparral gelding had a promising barrier trial a fortnight ago, placing second in the 900m hit out.

Shoot Out will start first-up this Saturday in the Bletchingly Stakes, testing his legs over a 1200m sprint distance before moving onto the longer distance spring features.

Wallace has the 150^th Melbourne Cup, held at Flemington on November 2, as Shoot Out’s major spring target and is supremely confident of the horse’s chances in the 2010 Bletchingly Stakes this weekend.

Shoot Out will be ridden by his regular jockey Stathi Katsidis on Saturday, the premier Brisbane hoop aboard for all of the gelding’s recent rides including his dual Group 1 victories in the Randwick Guineas and AJC Derby.

Following the Bletchingly Stakes, Wallace has scheduled a run every fortnight for Shoot Out with the Group 2 JJ Liston Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) and the Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) all on the cards.

To date Shoot Out, a versatile gelding that can win both sprint and staying races, has already earned over $1.36 million in prizemoney winning five of his 11 starts.

He was purchased for just $15,000 as a yearling at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale by owners Linda and Graham Huddy.

With the Melbourne Spring Carnival races among some of the richest in the world, the 2010 Melbourne Cup worth an unprecedented $6 million plus trophies, Shoot Out’s earnings could dramatically increase over the next few months.

Wallace’s closest success in the Melbourne Cup came with the 1994 third placegetter Oompala, with the Gold Coast-based trainer naming Shoot Out as a real 2010 Melbourne Cup contender.

Currently Shoot Out is at the very generous early odds of $51 to take out the Melbourne Cup in the pre-nomination markets at SportingBet.

Sure to shorten as he progresses through the season, now is the prime time to jump on his juicy odds.

We will be publishing the 2010 Bletchingly Stakes final field, barrier draw and betting preview later in the week so bookmark this page.

Other horses nominated for the Bletchingly Stakes include the Michael Moroney-trained Mr Baritone and Velocitea.

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