Robert Heathcote will be heavily represented at Eagle Farm on Saturday but a wet track could force the leading trainer to reduce his numbers for the meeting.
Despite fine weather since Thursday, the Eagle Farm track remains saturated after 71mm of rain in the past week, resulting in a heavy 9 rating.
Heathcote has 11 runners spread throughout the eight-race program including classy mare Funtantes (Jason Taylor) who is topweight in the Juanmo Stakes (1200m).
A decision on whether Funtantes starts will be delayed for as long as possible but Heathcote warns she won’t run if the going is seriously rain-affected.
“I’ll run her on a track up to a slow six rating but anything worse and she’d be a doubtful runner,” he said.
Funtantes ended her last campaign on a disappointing note when she finished ninth in the Falvelon Handicap, won by Better Than Ready, at Eagle Farm on February 23.
“She blew the start and never got on the bit that day and I suspect she had a low-level bug, although nothing came to light, so I put her out in the paddock,” Heathcote said.
Stablemate Hidden Kisses (Michael Hellyer) will only run in the Juanmo if the track is rated dead.
While Funtantes and Hidden Kisses are doubtful starters, Heathcote is happy to run Fire Up Fifi in the Juanmo regardless of track conditions.
“She’s capable on a rain-affected track and I think she’s forward enough to run a good race,” he said.
Funtantes, Fire Up Fifi and Hidden Kisses will target black-type races for fillies and mares during the winter carnival but the news isn’t as rosy for their stablemate Fillydelphia.
“She has an ulcer on her eye which I’ve been aggressively treating for the past couple of weeks but it’s not responding as it should be,” he said.
“Her winter carnival is in doubt unless we can get on top of it quickly.”
Heathcote also is considering scratching Excellantes (Ryan Wiggins) from the Hinkler Quality (1200m) because of his inability to handle a wet track and his concerns over an extreme outside barrier.
