History of the Shoot Out.
Ever since racecaller Ron Hawkswell said “bang racing in the shootout” back in 1998 it’s been a very interesting race. It’s fair to say the Shoot Out on tomorrow night has never been a favourite race of mine, then again, I am not a fan of the Speed Star racing either but understand why they are popular. Invented by Sandown Director Bob Smith it got off to a rocky start when the entry fee race winner takes all concept was not embraced first up. The first race saw Reggemite prove too good for youngster Golden Butter with long odds-on chance Time Framer last of the only three noms. However, by year two a crack field went around in 1999 with a close finish when Great Wish beat Poetic Reward, Faithful Hawk the early leader and Leg’s Ahoy. In 2000 Go Wild Teddy beat Placard, Trousers and Kantarn Bale. 2001 and Junior Whisky in the care of the late Judy Hayley beat Jeanie’s Queen, No Intent and Modern Assassin. In 2002 mighty South Australian Silver Saul beat Thunder Creek, Modern Assassin and Star Beyond Time. 2003 Bombastic Shiraz in a super finish beat Flying Scott, Nautical Bill and Dancing Habit interestingly Arvo’s Junior was the reserve. 2004 Whisky Assassin beat a top field Paua To Burn, Panicked and Hallucinate. The race had become a Group 2 event by 2005 and first prize was 50k. Bond beat Trewly Special, Lord Monelli and Pure Octane interesting reserve was Pororoca. Something went aery in 2006 the club only received three nom’s Jaimandy Coops won for Upper Lurg trainer Paul Donohue he beat Andy Palmer and a dog that will remain infamious Old Blue a moderately performed Wenty winner for Boat Harbour trainer Warren Cunningham he made the trip down from his hometown 55 k’s the other side of Newcastle to finish 10 lengths behind the winner after paying for the privilege. Back to normal in 2007 Darren McDonald quinellaed the race with Cool Effort too good for Shanlyn Prince, Betty’s Angel and Miss Hot Gossip. 2008 Mantra Lad stormed home to beat Queen Lauryn narrowly from Made To Size and One Tree Hill. 2009 Graeme Bate quinellaed it with Velocette and Turanza Bale the hot field included Mantra Lad and Cosmic Rumble. 2010 Cosmic Chief beat Push the Paint, Enry Walt and controversial stayer So Seductive. 2011 Bekim Bale beat Radley Bale, Cape Hawk and Allen Harper interesting reserve was He Knows Uno. 2012 Proven Nitro beat Don’t Knocka Him, Odie For Now and Heston Bale interesting reserve Glen Gallon. 2013 Superstar Xylia Allen beat Dyna Nalin, Banjo Boy and Punch One Out. 2014 Iva Vision beat Oakvale Destiny, Awesome Project and Allen Deed couple of handy reserves Banjo Boy and Star Recall. 2015 Kayda Shae beat Dyna Double One, Brad Hill Billy and Sulzanti. 2016 Zambora Brockie beat Outside Pass, Dundee Osprey and Worm Burner couple of top reserves Blazin’ Bomber and Unlawful Entry. 2018 we had two Shoot Outs the first was run on the New Year’s Day. The club decided to drop the race back to a Group 3 and 25k winner take all. Aston Dee Bee beat Quick Jagger, Shadale and Black Mumbo the reserve was Bewildering. In November of 2018 Orson Allen beat Maurice Minor, She’s Gifted and Aston Kimetto. 2019 Hooked On Scotch beat Whiskey Riot, Good Odd’s Harada and Mepunga Maggie. Which brings us to last year when Tiggerlong Tonk set the race record of 29.03 to beat Shima Shine, Christo Bale and Hard Style Rico. The race has had a few sponsors BMDI, Carlton Draught, Radio Sport 927, Lechte Nissan and Macro Meats. Star sprinter Aston Rupee has maintained his group race rampage with a mesmerising victory in the Group 3 Shootout (515m) at Sandown Park in 2021.Just five days on from his maiden Group 1 triumph in the TAB Topgun, Aston Rupee (Kc And All x Aston Miley) rounded out his Melbourne Cup preparations with a dazzling 29.10 victory in the $25,000 winner-take-all event. Finishing second in the Shootout was last year’s winner Tiggerlong Tonk which was again gallant in defeat after finishing runner-up in the Topgun just five days earlier. McCooly’s Lad (third) and Lakeview Walter (fourth) were well beaten in the Shootout. 2022 Saw a withering finishing burst resulted in Wow She’s Fast ($1.70F) defeating She’s A Pearl ($2.70) – a Million Dollar Chase and G1 Golden Easter Egg winner – by 2.4L with another Million Dollar Chase winner, McInerney ($7.80), a further 1L away third. G1 Topgun hero Photo Man ($9.90) was 4L in arrears of the winner. Wow She’s Fast clocked a slick 29.28sec – around 4L off the 29.03sec race record, set by Tiggerlong Tonk in 2020. 2023 was billed as the most even Group 3 Shootout (515m) in the event’s history, but powerhouse Big Energy turned the $72,500 four-sprinter feature into a one-act affair Big Energy broke the fabled 29-second barrier for the second time, as the WA import set night two of the $4.1 million Dream Chasers Festival ‘alight’, claiming his first Group trophy in race record time. Big Energy, a December ’20 son of Aussie Infrared and Amo Bailar, gave Kel and Jackie Greenough back-to-back Shootout successes after champion Wow’s She’s Fast was victorious in 2022 (29.28sec). Big Energy came into the intriguing Shootout after running fifth in the G1 Topgun at The Meadows one week earlier, and after drawing box one started joint $3.20 second elect, with the heavily-supported last-start G1 Hume Cup winner Hector Fawley (box 5). Alpha Zulu (box 3) was the $2.70 favourite, with kennelmate Transponder (box 7), the Topgun victor, the $5.30 outsider. 2024 Big Energy went back-to-back Shootouts for Team Greenough. For the fifth occasion he broke the magical 29 second barrier over the 515m. The only greyhound to step into this territory has been Aston Rupee. Despite question marks on Big Energy in the past 12 months, Team Greenough never doubted him. “We knew what Benny could do it and given a clear run he showed everyone.” “Now I’ve got another gun”. Vincent Bale – who finished second, put in a career defining performance, leaving less than two lengths between himself and Big Energy at the finishing post. Blue Kermaro finished third and Hector Fawley rounded the field out. The box to draw is the five the yellow alley has provided no less than 10 winners. Below is a replay of last year’s race featuring Big energy’s history making second win and the Greenough’s third in succession.