Shoot First team gunning for lucrative Sandown success

Charles Byrnes is targeting another big handicap hurdle pot with Haydock scorer Shoot First.

The nine-year-old returned from over two years off the track at the start of the season, lining up at Galway in October having last been seen winning a Pertemps Hurdle qualifier at Cheltenham in 2022.

His comeback ended in a fifth-placed finish, after which he travelled over to Haydock to contest the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle and took home over £57,000 in prize money when victorious at 22-1.

Shoot First’s next outing was a steep jump up to Grade One level for the Long Walk at Ascot, where he came home ninth under Philip Byrnes, having started a 12-1 shot.

A return to handicap company now awaits the bay, who will be aimed at the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on the first day of February.

“He is in good form, he’ll go to Sandown at the beginning of February now,” said Byrnes.

“It’s a handicap hurdle there over about three miles, another £100,000 race.

“He was found out a bit at Ascot, he probably ran up to his rating.

“He made a bad mistake at the second-last and without that he might have been a bit closer.

“It was a step up but he’s won one big handicap and it won’t be easy winning another one.”