HEIRBORN PREVAILS IN A THRILLER

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, August 11, 2021

In his fifth start for the David Vandyke stable after transferring from the Anthony and Sam Freedman yard, the five-year-old gelding Heirborn ($7.50) put his first win on the board for his new stable when taking out a benchmark 70 Handicap over 2030m at Doomben on August 11.

It was a thriller of a finish with less than a length separating the first five runners across the line with jockey Michael Cahill having to call on every bit of his considerable expertise to get the son of Charm Spirit home by the narrowest of margins.

Cahill had settled Heirborn in a comfortable fifth spot early and he held a position some four lengths behind the leader going down the back stretch. Cahill then became a bit more urgent in the saddle, urging Heirborn to improve his position in the sweep to the home turn.

That he did and Heirborn cornered in the leading line, four wide, and then sustained that run to gain a narrow lead early in the home straight. The race was still far from won though as Ridgewood Drive ($19) refused to go away and Wonderful Day ($3.70) also wasn’t done for yet as he started to close-up quickly along the outside. Boomtown Rat ($16) was also running on well.

Heirborn really stuck to his task well. Close to the line Ridgewood Drive was game, but wasn’t doing enough to reel in the VanDyke runner, Boomtown Rat had also run out of time but Wonderful Day had one last dive at Heirborn … but missed and Heirborn was home by a hard-earned 0.20 lengths.
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“He has promised to win a race since he came to us,” said David Vandyke. “His runs have been fairly consistent. I don’t think the blinkers helped last start.

“Look, Michael Cahill … there is no better rider over a distance. He had him in a beautiful position.

“The plan was to get him out at the 600 in clear running because he can hit a flat spot … and Michael did that. He sustained the long run and I think that is what won us the race. It all mapped out well for us.

“They are a lovely group of owners. They have been patient and good to train for, so it just great to get a winner at Doomben for them and just great to get our first winner of the season,” concluded Vandyke.

Heirborn is owned by Mr P J Fulmer, Cedar Racing, Mr K R Fields, Mr B K Willis, Halehaven Nominees Pty Ltd, Mr R P Willis, Mr D Conley, Mrs M A Fields and Mrs J S Fulmer.
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Heirborn only had one run as a late three-year-old winning a Maiden on debut over 1300m at Bendigo on July 28, 2019. He then quickly made it two-in-a-row when jumping to BM70 and city company and winning at Flemington over 1400m on heavy going on August 10, 2019.

He then raced in the Listed Gothic Stakes at Caulfield (where he finished third behind Alabama Express) and in the Group 3 Carbine Club at Flemington (where he finished unplaced behind Dalasan).

In the seven starts that followed the double success at the start of his career, Heirborn had not managed to add to his number of wins, and he was then transferred to the David Vandyke stable for whom he produced a second and two fourth placings before making it into the winners’ enclosure for the third time in his fourteen race career.
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WECOME WIN AFTER THREE PLACED FINISHES SINCE THE START OF THE NEW SEASON

Heirborn saluting was just the boost the stable needed after having to settle for a series of placed finishes this season prior to Heirborn’s victory.

It is always important to owners to keep the prize-money scoreboard moving and Blackboots, Mccovey Cove and Keefy played their part, albeit a minor role, in doing that by claiming a second place and two third places respectively.

Blackboots’ second place came in a Fillies And mares BM 62 at Eagle Farm, finishing just a length off the Chris Waller trained Contessa. Blackboots has now finished in the first four in seven of her last eight starts.

Mccovey Cove followed her win in a Class 4 Handicap over 1300m at Eagle Farm on July 21 with a third placed finish in a Class 3 Handicap over 1400m at Eagle Farm to take his race record to three wins and five places from only nine starts.

Keefy’s third place came first-up, after a six month break from action, in a QTIS Three-Year-Old BM65 Handicap over 1200m. This was only Keefy’s third career start. He won on debut at Ipswich before going to Randwick where he failed to flatter in Listed company before being sidelined and returning for his latest effort.

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