HEATHCOTE STABLE HITS ITS STRAPS AT THE RIGHT TIME

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Trainer Robert Heathcote has no regrets about not running his stable star Rothfire in the Doomben 10 000 last Saturday.

That would have been against Giga Kick, the horse now being touted as the best in the land, who cemented that status with another impressive Group 1 win in the 10 000.

Just how much the chase in the Doomben 10 000 has taken out of Giga Kick’s opposition remains to be seen but, with Rothfire staying at home on 10 000 day, Heathcote has no such worry as he will have a relatively fresh horse on his hands for Rothfire’s next assignment.

Throw in the fact that Giga Kick will now go to for a spell as his trainer Clayton Douglas plans his preparation for bigger adventures and the Rothfire situation looks as rosy as it can be at this stage.

“Rothfire is in super order,” confirmed Heathcote. ‘No regrets at all about not running him in the 10 000. I want to win the Group 1, Kingsford-Smith Cup.”

The $1 million Kingsford-Smith Cup will be run over 1300m at Eagle Farm on May 27 … four weeks after Rothfire’s scintillating win in the Group 2 Victory Stakes.

It wasn’t just the win … but rather it was the manner in which Rothfire achieved success in the Victory Stakes that marked him as a serious contender for that upcoming Group 1 clash.

His fighting qualities in a finish that could not have been more pressurized, backed by his still inherent superior level of ability, was a joy to behold for his connections who have suffered a tortuous trail with Rothfire following his well-documented, serious injury setback which came so close to bringing his career to an end at a time when he seemed to have the world at his feet.

Suffice to say, that injury and the rehabilitation process kept Rothfire away from race action … with any possible return to racing remaining very much in doubt for much of the time … from September 26, 2020 until September 18, 2021.

That he came through on the other side was already a minor miracle and the fact that Rothfire then just kicked on form-wise as if nothing had happened is a quite amazing outcome.

Rothfire currently can boast a career record of nine wins from twenty-two starts with just over $2 million banked in prize-money.

Heathcote will have at least one other Kingsford-Smith Cup contender in the fray … but, while Rothfire was a high-powered last start winner, the same cannot be said of the Heathcote trained Startantes whose down the field finish in The Archer might have some shaking their heads in terms of her performance.

Heathcote might be shaking his head for a different reason, but he clearly doesn’t believe anything other than the fact that a line can be ruled through that run with the result clearly not being in any way representative of the mare’s true ability.

Already a Group 1 winner at Eagle Farm (she won the Tatts Tiara during last year’s Winter carnival) Startantes will be third-up going into the Kingsford-Smith and she certainly has the credentials (which, apart from her Group 1 win includes a runner-up finish in the Group 1 Surround Stakes and a third place finish in the Group 1 Flight Stakes) to play a big part in the race.

Apart from Rothfire’s notable win in the Victory Stakes, the fact that the Heathcote stable is travelling well at the right time as we head deeper into the carnival was highlighted by the stable’s double last Saturday when National Choice won for the third time in five starts since transferring to the Heathcote yard and the highly promising three-year-old filly Ekaterina was super impressive in claiming her fifth career victory.

Another double followed on Sunday with Helikedempretty and En Pointe winning which would only have added to the general level of confidence in the stable and it would be no surprise if, moving forward, that spring in the step incorporated a kicking up of the heels in enjoyment of another win, given the promising big race options that appear to be on offer for the stable at this time.

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