In a ‘special edition’ of The Stir Up, GRV’s Gerard Guthrie and Peter Quilty – along with expert form analyst Dale Code – ‘face-off’ on the Group 3 Shootout (515m) as the $4.1 million Dream Chasers Festival ‘saloon doors’ burst open into ‘gunslinger mode’ at Sandown Park on Saturday night.

You can always keep track of your favourite greyhounds by saving them in your WatchDog Blackbook!

Quilts: It’s the moment of truth as four sharpshooters ‘draw pistols at 10 paces’ for a $50,000 winner’s bounty in the Group 3 Shootout. What are your thoughts boys on a showdown for the ages?

Gerard: I spoke to Jason Thompson about his two runners, Alpha Zulu and Transponder, and he couldn’t split them. He did say it was “strange” Transponder was the outsider of the field and was adamant that Alpha Zulu “just leads,” if he gets the start right.

Dale: Never in the history of the Shootout has there been a more even race than the one on Saturday night. Absolutely nothing separates these superstars!

Quilts: I totally agree, Dale. Even middle-distance ‘wizard’ Hector Fawley comes into calculations. His trainer, Lisa Cockerell, says she wouldn’t have nominated him if she didn’t think he had a chance of winning.

Gerard: Delving into the Shootout stats this week Quilts, I found it a little surprising that nine of the last 11 winners have led, with Wow She’s Fast last year and Hooked On Scotch, which was also trained by Jason Thompson, the only ones that have been able to buck that trend.

Dale: Fascinating stuff, Gerard. I’m expecting Big Energy and Alpha Zulu to be going head and head going into the first turn and Transponder will keep his line and should join them but will stay wide going into the first bend.

Quilts: You form gurus are so analytical (lol). I touched base with Kel Greenough during the week and his take on Big Energy was that you want to get a clear run early so box one really helps him, and the match race format is right up his alley.

Gerard: Another unusual Shootout stat I unravelled is the recent dominance of boxes three and five. You have to go all the way back to 2009 when Velocette had box one to find the last greyhound that didn’t exit the ‘white’ or ‘yellow’.

Dale: You’re a ‘walking encyclopedia’, Gerard (lol). Great stats digging! However, I think the edge goes with Big Energy who should save ground going into the turn from his ideal rails draw. Hector Fawley boasts the strongest run home time and will have the last crack at them, and it could be a tight finish. My selections: 1-5-3-7.

Quilts: I’m in your corner, Dale. All Kel Greenough wanted with Big Energy was not to draw outside Transponder and he got his wish. And you don’t need a long memory to recall he clocked a mind-boggling 28.93sec – the sixth-fastest time ever at Sandown – winning the Launching Pad Runway from the ‘red’ trap. But if I can have my ‘50 cents each-way’, it’s such an exciting race and will probably come down to who gets the breaks.

Gerard: As Dale said, it’s a wide-open race and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. I wouldn’t be surprised if any one of the four wins, but I just feel this might be Big Energy’s ‘big’ chance to win a ‘big’ one after drawing box one! I reckon he’s gone to another level in recent weeks and just might be able to give the Greenoughs back-to-back Shootouts.

Quilts: Thanks fellas. I can’t wait for the ‘gunsmoke’. This is going to be bigger than the Gunfight at OK Corral. May the quickest ‘Deadeye Dick’ win!