Shoot Out began as the odds-on favourite at $3, but looked uncertain to score after missing the start and then settling well back in the field before copping interference on the straight.

But the impressive High Chaparral gelding fought back for the win and defeated the Gai Waterhouse-trained Viking Legend ($12) by three quarters of a length with Captain Sonador ($12) claiming another third place in a Group status race just a short-neck away.

After a troublesome run, Shoot Out showed great determination and pulled out an extraordinary late burst to overtake three of his rivals in the closing stages of the race, after nearly falling at the 250m mark, to come away with the win.

Other fancied runners also had a poor run but were not able to fight back and make up the ground including sixth placegetter Monton ($7.50) who defeated Shoot Out last start in the Hobartville Stakes, and Sir Hallowell ($8) who finished a well beaten 12th.

Wallace had not won a Group 1 feature since 1982 when his filly Mother Of Pearl took out the Queensland Oaks.

Shoot Out has now won four of his nine career starts and Saturday’s victory elevated his career earnings to $549, 700.

He will next contest the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas on March 27 where Wallace will see how Shoot Out handles a run over 2000m before making a decision on whether to run his new stable star in the $1.3million AJC Derby (2400m) on April 10, or wait until the following week for the $1.5million Doncaster Handicap (1600m).

The bumper Randwick meeting on Saturday also included the $150, 000 Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) won by De Lightning Ridge, and the $125, 000 Group 3 Skyline Stakes (1200m) where Hinchinbrook burst into Golden Slipper contention with their upset win.

2010 Randwick Guineas Results:

17 top three-year-olds are engaged to star in the 2010 Randwick Guineas including Hobartville Stakes winner Monton.

Trained by Tim Martin, Monton won the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill last start giving the Catbird gelding his third career win from seven starts. The consistent runner has drawn wide for Saturday with barrier 16 and will have to pull out career best speed and form if he is to secure his maiden Group 1 victory.

Runner-up in the Hobartville, Shoot Out, will again face off against Monton on Saturday in the Randwick Guineas. The John Wallace-trained High Chaparral gelding has drawn better with barrier five and is a strong contender with the Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes win two starts ago to his name. If successful, Shoot Out will give Wallace his first Group 1 victory in 28 years, the promising three-year-old on his way to the AJC Derby on April 10.

Captain Sonador, third placegetter in the Hobartville Stakes last start, is another Randwick Guineas starter and will start on the outside of Shoot Out in barrier six.

Another classy Randwick Guineas hopeful is Royal Sovereign Stakes runner-up More Than Great. Prepared David Payne, the More Than Ready colt will be looking to improve on his last start tenth place in the Hobartville Stakes.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Viking Legend has secured the coveted barrier one and will be ridden by big race specialist Brad Rawiller.

There are just two fillies in the Randwick Guineas this year, Run For Naara and Monton’s stablemate Indian Ocean. Both fillies have drawn ideally with barriers four and two respectively.

The 2010 Turnpoint Royal Randwick Guineas is scheduled to run as the sixth race on the day’s great eight-event programme and is due to commence at 4:10pm (NSW time).

Other highlights at the meeting are the $125, 000 Group 3 Randwick City Stakes (Race 1 – 12:50pm), $125, 000 Group 3 Skyline Stakes (Race 2 – 1:30pm), $150, 000 Group 2 Challenge Stakes (Race 4 – 2:50pm) and the $125, 000 Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes (Race 5 – 3:30pm).

2010 Randwick Guineas Final Field & Barriers:

Five group race features will run on the day including the Group 2 Challenge Stakes. But it is the Randwick Guineas that the bulk of punters and spectators will be there to see, and as the race always lures the finest gallopers this year will not disappoint.

As the winner of the Randwick Guineas is exempt from ballot for two of the Sydney Autumn Carnival’s premier events, the Group 1 AJC Derby on April 10 and the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap on April 17, the race is sure to be hotly contested affair with some intense betting markets open.

One of the key preparatory races to the Randwick Guineas is the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m). This year’s Hobartville Stakes is due to take place at Rosehill on Saturday February 27 and many of the three-year-olds who contest this earlier set weights event are sure to back it up with a run in the Randwick Guineas.

Keeping an eye on three-year-olds who perform well in the carnival’s prior races is a good way to get a heads up on Randwick Guineas betting markets.

The Peter Snowden-trained Demerit is a possible starter for the 2010 Randwick Guineas. The Lonhro Colt impressed when he won the Guineas Prelude in September last year but has not placed in a race since. Snowden will first run him in the Royal Sovereign Stakes and the Hobartville Stakes before the Group 1 feature.

On the path to the AJC Derby is John Wallace’s promising three-year-old Shoot Out. Shoot Out will also follow the traditional Royal Sovereign, Hobartville Stakes campaign before being nominated for the Randwick Guineas as Wallace aims for his first Group 1 success in 28 years.

Nominations for the 2010 Randwick Guineas, and the other seven great races running on the March 13 meeting, will close on Monday March 8.

The final acceptances must then be declared before 9am Wednesday March 10 so the final field can be announced later that day.