Shoot Out’s connections covered all the bases well before their star galloper hit the big time.

After Shoot Out scored a brilliant first-up win in the G3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, his owners Graham and Linda Huddy revealed they had snapped up all his close relations last year.

Shoot Out (3g High Chaparral – Pentamerous by Pentire) raced his way into Cox Plate favouritism when he defeated a slick sprint field over 1200m on Saturday.  It was his first run back after winning the G1 AJC Australian Derby over 2400m in April.

The Huddys bought Shoot Out for just $15,000 out of the Oaklands Stud draft at the 2008 Gold Coast Magic Millions.  “We looked at the catalogue and picked him out,” Linda Huddy recalled.  “He was a lovely horse and was QTIS qualified.  He’s the best $15,000 we’ve spent – that’s for sure.”

Shoot Out’s dam Pentamerous was originally owned by former WATC chairman John Roberts but she changed hands after his death in 2006.  The Huddys also bought her Johannesburg filly Cassandara Shadow who was a G3 winner of the West Australian Oaks.

Wallace is training Shoot Out’s younger half-sister by Oaklands Stud sire Ferocity who has just turned two.  The mare also has a new-season yearling filly by Ferocity and is due to foal to Encosta de Lago on an October cover from last spring.  The mare is booked back to the Coolmore champion this year.

Shoot Out’s Bletchingly victory took his record to 6 wins from just 12 starts and earnings of $1.44 million.  He can parlay that amount into a much bigger bankroll this spring starting with the MRC Liston Stakes at Caulfield in a fortnight.