Star sprinter Buffering won’t be the only runner at Eagle Farm on Saturday to come under the winter carnival microscope from trainer Rob Heathcote.
Buffering is set to make his return for the winter in the Group Two Victory Stakes (1200m) ahead of his Group One missions in the BTC Cup (1200m) and Doomben 10,000 (1350m) next month.
Heathcote will also closely monitor the performances from Trump in the Group Three Gunsynd Classic (1600m) and Heza Jetsetter in the Two-Year-Old Handicap (1300m).
Vacallo has also been nominated for the Gunsynd Classic but Heathcote doubts the three-year-old will make the final field.
Both Trump and Heza Jetsetter produced eye-catching performances at their last starts.
Trump came from well back on a slow track to finish a close second to Morning Captain in the Listed Queensland Day Plate (1350m) at Doomben on April 14 while Heza Jetsetter was a rapidly-closing fourth to plunge winner Better Than Ready over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
Heathcote hopes Trump can measure up to some of the better three-year-old races during the winter including the Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2020m) at Doomben on May 12.
However, the three-time Brisbane premier trainer has bigger plans in mind with Heza Jetsetter.
“I know all the talk has been around Kelly Schweida’s Better Than Ready after he landed that big plunge,” Heathcote said.
“But I was delighted with the run from Heza Jetsetter and I’ve decided to back up with him on Saturday.
“He got back to last and was still there on the home turn and really hit the line strongly to be beaten less than four lengths.
“He’s still doing a lot of things wrong but I think he’s got the potential to win a nice race during the carnival like the (Group Two) Sires’ Produce.”
Heathcote will also target the Group One TJ Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.
Trump will be nominated for the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm the same day but Heathcote has reservations the son of Witten Tycoon will stay.
“I took him down for the Norman Robinson last year and he didn’t see out the 2000 metres but he’s more mature now,” he said.
“I thought he was very unlucky behind Morning Captain last run. He copped some interference at the 800 metres which cost him his position right behind Morning Captain.
“He was only beaten a neck and came home very strongly.
“He’s come back a lot stronger this campaign and his first run back with 59 kilos when he came from last to finish sixth at Eagle Farm last month was very good on a leader-biased track.
“I think you’ll see hi run a very strong race over 1600 metres which I think is his best distance.”
