ROB'S SHOUT - IT'S A HECTIC WEEK AS WE BUILDUP TO QUEENSLAND'S SHOW-PIECE RACEDAY
By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, June 7, 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.
Yes, it's been a pretty busy and hectic week with plenty happening, but that's how I like it. It's the most exciting time of the year on our racing scene and there has been a real buzz about the place. Lots of media coverage from Sky as usual, who I think do a great job for our carnival, but even the mainstream media who been having a real dig, especially Channel 7 who have made a huge commitment to the Brisbane carnival this year .
Breakfast with the stars at Eagle Farm on Tuesday was a hectic morning with a huge crowd turning up to watch the final good hit outs from many of the Stradbroke participants. Tuesday night saw plenty of laughs on the Off The Rails TV show which was filmed live from Eagle Farm.
Kelly Schweida brought the house down with his story about how I have dead-heated twice in my training career and both were dead-heats with horses trained by Kelly. He recalled that when he said to me that result was like "kissing your sister", my reply was, “hang on a minute, I am from Tasmania and there's nothing wrong with that" … well that was cause for much laughter. (It is in fact a true story)!
It was a great show and a lot of amusement as the three larrikins, Greg Radley, Miracle Mal and Corey Brown take a light hearted look at the racing game!
Tuesday and Wednesday also had the yearling sales on at the Magic Millions which I attended on both days where I managed to pick a few new stable acquisitions. I got pretty busy at the sales and I am wrapped in the new yearlings who will be joining my team in the future.
I purchased colts by Mossman, Henry The Navigator and Sebring and a lovely filly by Sebring. They will be available for shares to join me in racing them so get in touch with me, but I will put an info package together on them very shortly which I will also post on my website!
Wednesday morning was also the official barrier draw function for the Stradbroke at the saddling enclosure at Eagle Farm which was filmed live on Sky. It was
extremely disappointing for Buffering to come up with a wide gate. He already has been given an enormous task of winning carrying top weight of 58, but to now have to do it from barrier 18, well, it may well to be an insurmountable hurdle!
Thursday night and the ever popular Stradbroke cocktail party at Doomben. That's always a great time but it won’t be a late one as it’s, as usual, an early start. Friday and it's a racing luncheon to discuss the big race with a few 'experts' and no doubt a few 'settling' drinks to calm the nerves before the big day.
What a win it will be if indeed Buffering can overcome all the hurdles which have been placed in front of him. Whilst my opinion may be a little biased, I think his record proves he is the best horse in the race. The handicapper no doubt agrees as he's given him the top weight. I do think it is an unfair penalty for the horse with the weights having to be raised up to 58 kilos. They are however the rules that the toppie has to carry 58.
That 1 kilo is somehow not the same as the 1 kilo the horses rise lower down in the weights. 57 to 58 is a much bigger penalty than 53 to 54 kilos!
Early in the carnival it was not my intention to run Buffering in the Stradbroke. I always knew he would probably be poorly weighted and I have been proven correct in that assessment.
The disruptions to his prep with the Victory Stakes being a wash out and then the hoof abscess causing him to miss the BTC Cup has meant there has been a change of heart, but I am not entirely sure that it is the right decision.
Whatever happens on Saturday, he will be going to Washpool Lodge for a good break of at least six weeks which he may well need to get over the exertions of his run on Saturday.
It is not just the wide gate that Buff has scored, it's the good gates that his main rivals have drawn, in particular the speed horses or those expected to race up on the speed.
It looks like Buffering will have to do plenty of work to get into a good position from the wide gate. Listen Son and Tiger Tees will be pushing forward and the
Pumper ain’t gonna be sitting quiet from his good gate.
Hard to see Buffering getting in anywhere so he may have no choice but to simply keeping hiking until he can cross them. Maybe, just maybe, Hugh can pull off a miracle and slot him into a spot just behind the lead but to be honest, that's a lot of wishful thinking. I have little option but to leave it to Hughie and the hands of fate.
It does look like being a real tactical stoush in the early stages of the race as those who genuinely like to lead will be very aware that Buffering has little choice but to go forward, but they won’t want to gas themselves by going too hard early.
No doubt that the weather and the state of the track will play a crucial part in the outcome of the race. The track copped a pounding last week but the weather has been fine through until Thursday but showers are forecast. If we cop 10mm plus, it may be enough to push the rating back into the slow range.
Now that Buffering has drawn the wide gate, I actually think his chances would be better if indeed the rain did come and it was wet as he has an excellent record on wet tracks. So too do a few others, but it does decrease the chances of many … ! Still, not worth worrying about the things we cannot effect or change, but fingers crossed the weather gods are kind to us after the drenching we copped from last week!
I have been asked if I am disappointed that Solzhenitsyn will not make the Straddie field.
Not really, to be honest, as it’s already been a huge plus to have got him this far as I have always thought he would be a good horse as he matures a bit. He has done a superb job this prep and our plans do include a trip down south for the Spring Carnival with a race like the Emirates at Flemington the main target.
The Listed Mile on Saturday will be a nice consolation if he can manage to win that and the owners are over the moon that their $10 000 purchase has come this far, already with a Weight For Age win under his belt and $240 grand in the tank! From gate 9 on Saturday and Michael Rodd fresh from a strong last start win on him again, his ability to race handy or to come from behind is going to make him hard to beat!
Like I said earlier, the weather is the real key to the success of the day, not just on the track but also off the track for the club and our industry as well.
It is Queensland's show-piece racing day and whilst there will always be the usual knockers who same the same old stuff every year about what a poor quality race this one is or that one is, try telling that one to the many connections of the runners engaged to race on Saturday.
I bet they are excited to be a part of what looks like being a great days racing! I know I am.
Hope to see you there.
Cheers. Robert
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