Shoot Out has cemented his return to quality racing after sending an emphatic warning to spring racing rivals by dominating the $150,000 Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.

Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse hosted the first jump of the Australian spring racing season with the Bletchingly Stakes Day, highlighted of course by the 2010 Bletchingly Stakes event itself, and with 10 quality sprinters taking to the track, saw the Queensland stayer prove why trainer John Wallace has so much faith in him.

Wallace chose the Bletchingly as the High Chaparral gelding’s first-up spring race as a warm up for the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival’s features later in the year. While he expected a solid run, he did not expect what occurred.

Shoot Out jumped well from the perfectly drawn barrier one, and rather than sitting off the pace and ending with a strong straight, Stathi Katsidis leading with the reins took the three-year-old to sit in second place from the jump and upped the ante in the closing 200 metres.

Onlookers were in awe of the rising four-year-old, who has not jumped since April when he won the AJC Australian Derby over Descarado. He is nowhere near peak fitness, which saw punters overlook him at Ladbrokes.com.au – how they will be kicking themselves now.

Pre race favourite Velocitea did not manage to back up her win in the Group One The Goodwood in May with the Bletchingly honours, instead finishing third and disappointing her backers.

The Mick Price-trained mare was three-quarters of a length behind Stanzout, who finished half a length from Shoot Out in second.

Stanzout continued to prove his case as a potential strong racer, backing up his gallant fourth-placed finishing in the Listed John Monash Stakes earlier in July with a strong run in the Bletchingly, proving the Gallo Di Ferro gelding is stronger over the longer distances.

The impressive win over the Caulfield track has seen Shoot Out move up in the odds for the illustrious Cox Plate on the 23rd of October, with the rising four-year-old also nominated for the Caulfield Cup and the 2010 Melbourne Cup.

Shoot Out is at $23 for the 2010 Melbourne Cup win at Ladbrokes.com.au and if he has started his spring campaign as he means to go on, is certainly a horse to follow throughout the next few months.

Next up will be the Group Two JJ Liston Stakes (1400m) on the 14th of August at Caulfield, which will be a pivotal race to keep an eye on for keen spring racing punters with plenty of emerging talent due to race.

In order to get the best bang for your buck, do not stress about getting to the TAB, sign up with Ladbrokes.com.au as you will find the best odds and markets on the upcoming spring racing carnival – and you can follow Shoot Out’s upcoming season!

2010 Bletchingly Stakes Results