ROB'S SHOUT - EXCITEMENT LEVELS ON THE RISE
By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, May 10, 2012
Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO.
Even though our stable has had runners in some big races this past year or so, it still does not diminish the excitement levels as we head into the first of the Winter Carnival feature race days.
Last year’s Spring Carnival was huge at Flemington with a great run from Buffering on a very memorable day when he claimed second placing behind Black Caviar in the million dollar Patinack Group 1.
The Autumn carnival saw the stable excitement levels reach new heights with Woorim’s amazing win in the Oakleigh Plate and Buffering’s near miss in the Newmarket behind the superstar, Hay List.
The holy grail for any trainer is to win at the elite level and yes, it was a very special moment to have achieved that with Woorim!
I have gotta be honest though and say that winning a 'biggie' at home has always been a major goal for me, not that I have ever been a goal setter. It’s all about doing the best job we can with the horses in our care and if that means winning a Group 1 with any horse, then that's what we set out to achieve.
This time last year the local racing scene was abuzz with 'Black Caviar-mania' and what a super day of racing it was! One of the most exciting days at the races I have ever experienced.
How things have changed in twelve months! I had a roughie in last year’s BTC Cup with Buffering who ran his heart out to grab third place … behind no less than the wonder mare and Hay List! At the time I have to say it felt like a win.
Twelve months on and I have the very short priced favourite going into the race and anything but a win will probably be a disappointment.
Group 1’s are not freely given away in this industry. They have to be earned, but if a horse ever did deserve to win a Group 1 then I think Buffering’s name would slot firmly into that category.
The Buff has ticked plenty of boxes going into this feature race on Saturday.
He has consistently competed at the top level under the weight-for-age conditions, which is significant. He has a great record on the track and he is coming off a dominant win last start and I feel he has improved since that run. I did give serious thought of going straight into the Group 1 fresh as a couple of my rivals are doing, but I felt Buffering needed a good hit out to bring him to his peak and a day or two out from the race I am confident I have made the right call!
As I have matured as a trainer I have learned to cope a bit better with adversity in this racing caper. You simply have to as along with the highs there will always be the invariable lows.
An old timer once said to me after something had gone wrong … "consider it character building.” That was the phrase he used and I have never forgotten it. I got to exercise some of that 'character building' yesterday when Mel first told me of the wide barrier draw for Buffering on Saturday.
Ah well, I can't change it and whilst it makes it harder to win, it certainly does not make it impossible.
I am still excited as I know Buff’s connections are. Bruce Harry said he hasn't slept all week and the anticipation is greater than any of his big league days in his halcyon footy days! Craig Moore and Scottie Chipperfield have climbed to the very top of the world soccer ladder and Moorey made me laugh when he said he feels like a 'kid with two willies'! Not sure what he meant but no doubt he can explain it to you!
It is always difficult to take a winning jockey off a horse and Jimmy's winning ride in the Coca Cola was a gem, but the choice of having Nash Rawiller ride Buffering was not a hard one.
Nash has had the two rides on the horse for a Group 2 win and a Group 1 second to Black Caviar and little doubt he is in the hottest form of his career. He is simply the best in the land.
The disappointing barrier is made more palatable with the knowledge Nash will do the steering. I am hoping the best jockey in the race on the best horse will ease our anxiety come race time!
Do you think Jimmy Byrne will be trying his hardest to win on Varenna Miss? Of course he will and good luck to him!
I have another runner in the race in Woorim with the unflappable Damian Browne on top again. Woorim has often been sold short in the past and I see he is at quite generous odds once again.
Little doubt that he has the ability to win a race like this and there is no horse in this race that has a finish like Woorim when he switches on his afterburner.
I worked Woorim and Buffering together on Tuesday and I was delighted with their work. Woorim’s work was exactly what I needed to see to confirm him runner for Saturday, but I also was hoping he would be right as he will need this run under his belt to prime him for the 10,000 in two weeks and then his ultimate goal, the Straddie!
The speed of the race looks to be genuine with a few smoking forward from out wide which can assist the swoopers late in the race. Weight-For-Age sprints can often be very tactical races but somehow, I don't think this one will be!
I was asked who I thought the main dangers to my two will be. Little doubt the southern visitors in Sea Siren, Neeson and Beaded will be primed and the 'master blaster' from Toowoomba will have his two Boomers in great shape to run big races.
Yeah, maybe the higher the anticipation and the greater the expectation of winning can lead to a bigger fall on race day if things do not work out, but I wouldn't trade all the excitement for quids!
I will be nervous on the day … little doubt about that … but it will also be a very busy day with a strong supporting cast from my stable so the day will fly by as it invariably does.
Trump will attempt to give me back to back Rough Habit Plates and if he can see out a strong 2000m he is more than capable of winning. His recent Group 3 Gunsynd win was a cracker and what a ride from D Browne. There is a doubt over Trumps staying prowess but Brownie thinks with a quiet ride he can hit the line.
Excellantes has been asked by the handicappers to lug 60 kilos in the class 6 1200. We very nearly claimed but the good 3 track swayed the decision. Solzhenitsyn is a horse I have always had a very high opinion of and his hoof is right on the till. The kiwi whiz, James McDonald renews his association with the horse and I am sure James will give the big unit every chance to win.
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Crisp chilly mornings with crystal clear blue skies with day temps in the mid 20s … awesome weather as we head into the Winter Carnival and hopefully
we can enjoy six weeks of fine weather which should help produce some great
race days!
Bill Shuck and his team have been working feverishly and Doomben looks in fantastic order. It will be a great day’s racing to kick off the Winter Racing Carnival off.
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I would also like to congratulate John Thompson and his Patinack team for their big day out last week at the Gold Coast. John’s three winners puts him within striking distance in the Trainers Premiership race. It's been neck and neck all year and I have no doubt it will go right down to the wire.
I relish the battle as we come into the home straight, but we both know it does not get any easier winning a race during carnival time. I have said it before and I will say it again. I will happily run second to John and Nathan in the title race but they will have to earn it the hard way!
Great to see Nathan sign up John for another five years. A top trainer and a good bloke to boot and little doubt they are going to be a major force in our local racing
scene for many years to come.
John, you might just have to wait till next year for your little glass statue .. ha!
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Anyway, that's it for this week. Sorry the topic once again this week is about Buffering and Woorim but they do seem to be the focus of attention a fair bit but
… why not? They are the best two horses I have ever had to train!
I have had plenty of media interest this week but hey, didn't Tommy Smith once say that any publicity is good publicity?
Have a great weekend and once again good health!
Robert
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