ROB'S SHOUT - FIGHTING THE BATTLE ON TWO FRONTS

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, October 17, 2013

Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer appears exclusively on HRO.

Hello again,

I think it’s been three or four weeks since I have had the time to put a few thoughts down.

It has sure has been a busy time on two fronts … a very busy time with our team down in Melbourne and also plenty of action on local scene back home as is normal for a stable of my size … and it doesn’t look like easing up in the near future with the spring action well under way.

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Where do I start after four very exciting weeks?

Buffering is again doing what he seems to do best … running brilliant races in Group 1 races only to get beaten by a likely star. Take nothing away from Samaready, she was fantastic and she may well assume the mantle of the best sprinter in the land.

I was once again extremely proud of our little bulldog and never once thought oh bugger … not again!

I believe if the Group 1 win comes for Buff, it will come and fate can decide that. In the meantime we will do all we can to have the horse in the best shape he can be to win the elusive mantle as a genuine Group 1 horse.

He came out of the race with some bruising to his near-fore which may or may not have affected his performance, but I am not making any excuses. Samaready was simply too good for us on the night and I am eagerly awaiting the rematch on Friday week.

Buff will have a jump out at Flemington this Friday to help bring him along for the big one a week later in the Manikato Stakes on Cox Plate eve. He will be there, tough as old boot leather and giving 100% as usual.

I am flying down late Thurs to watch his Friday jump out which may be a pretty hot heat with Lucky Nine and Sham Express to work as well. Our lad won’t be there to set the track alight though … just a top up gallop.

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Fire Up Fifi. WOW, what a huge run from her to win the Group 2 Blazer Stakes.

That sure was a win and half and an enormous thrill for the team but even more so for her owner, Graham Billingshurst.

Fifi has become a family treasure and she is bringing enormous joy to so many. I am amazed at how popular she has become with so many people.
Is it the name? Maybe it’s her racing style to storm home late or more likely it’s her striking grey ‘pretty’ looks with her ‘white’ eyelashes?

Whatever the case may be, we love her to death and no, we were not surprised by her Blazer Stakes win.

Her run in Sydney was a lot better than it looked on paper. Her jockey, Glyn Schofield said after the race she will just about win her next race and he would go anywhere to ride her! You probably wish you had known that pre-race eh but it was still hard for the connections to comprehend such comments after running second last at Rosehill.

Our patience with her through the winter carnival and ‘looking after’ her a bit by avoiding the winter stakes run now looks like being a good call.

Fifi has worked the house down since at Flemington and we believe she will again be very competitive in the Tristarc at Caulfield on Saturday and hopefully then onto the Group 1 Myer Classic over the mile which may suit her even better!

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Last Saturday … Caulfield, 12 months on and déjà vu with big Solzhie winning his second Toorak Handicap at Group 1 level.

Amazing stuff and an unbelievable feeling of pride to have him peaking to the day a year later and to create a small piece of racing history with his back to back Group 1 Toorak wins.

Solzhenitsyn has been an amazing horse since he has joined our stable and we did earmark him early as a potential star. He took a wee while to fully acclimatise and to settle into our training regime but as he’s matured, he sure has become a star of the turf.

I was also very proud to ‘win one for Queensland’ as a couple of exuberant lads shouted to me over the fence after the race!

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Nash Rawiller showed why he is right at the top of his profession with a superb ride after a controversial week, losing the ride on Fiorente but he bounced back in Group 1 style.

I had dinner with him on Saturday night and I have to say what a bloody nice young man he is. A bit of a shy country lad who is just so focused in his profession and committed to giving the best he can each time he sits on a racehorse.

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I have always believed that Solzhenitsyn would be a quality 2000m horse and we will now give him the opportunity.

Nash is also a believer that the horse will be well suited in a race like the Mackinnon Stakes which is a Group 1 over 2000 run at weight for age. Now being a duel group 1 winner, it does make it tough in the handicaps which adds merit to his second Toorak win carrying the 58 kilos.

Nash has suggested we take the blinkers off so we may go with winkers to just aid his focus but we will sort that out in his track work!

I had paid up the Cox Plate noms and early acceptances but the owners instructed me not to continue as they were happy to take the path we are now on and perhaps we can prepare and train him accordingly for a Cox Plate mission next year.

Sure, that’s a big call as he will be eight but he’s still relatively lightly raced and Fields Of Omagh did it?

I am still very keen to win one of the biggies back at home with him. I still reckon the Doomben Cup is a nice race to set him for. The Mackinnon will be his last run this prep so he will come home, have a good break and be set for a Sydney Autumn program before aiming at the Doomben Cup.

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I was very happy to see Liam Birchley and his connections also enjoy Group success at Caulfield with Missy Longstocking proving way too good for the local 3 year olds.

It might not have been the perfect run but once again Damian showed why I rate him so highly as a jockey.

Great stuff and maybe the locals might just give our Queensland carnival form a little bit more respect from now on!

I reckon Missy might have another good win ahead of her.

A few Queenslanders lining up on Saturday on the big stage, Spirit Of Boom is ready to win and it would be great to see Fifi flashing late again!

Best regards and good health.

Robert

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