Trainer Rob Heathcote has had a change of mind and will consider adding Work The Room to his Melbourne spring carnival team if the six-year-old is successful at Doomben on Saturday.
The former Victorian has not raced beyond 1700 metres but Heathcote is supremely confident the son of Bel Esprit will acquit himself well in his first middle-distance attempt in the Liftronic – Elevators & Escalators Handicap (2200m).
“He’s a half-brother to Zipping so he should easily run a middle distance,” Heathcote said.
Zipping was retired this week after running in four Melbourne Cups during his stellar career, finishing fourth three times in 2006, 2007 and 2010.
One of his greatest wins was in the Group One Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington in 2010, the same year he claimed the Group Two Sandown Classic (2400m) for a fourth straight time.
Work The Room was originally trained in Melbourne by Colin Little before he was transferred to Heathcote at the start of the year.
The gelding has started five times for Heathcote, breaking through for his first win in Queensland in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm last month.
Heathcote believes Work The Room is capable of winning a decent race now that he has overcome his feet problems.
“He’s got unusual-shaped feet and it’s been a battle to get them right,” Heathcote said.
“A lot of the credit for fixing his feet goes to my farrier, Chris McMullen.
“Woorim was in the same boat as Work The Room and had a lot of feet problems early on before Chris managed to fix him.”
Heathcote hasn’t worked out a Melbourne program yet should Work The Room earn a trip away alongside stable flag-bearers Buffering and Woorim who also will be accompanied by Funtantes, Our Lukas and Fillydelphia.
“I haven’t ruled out sending this horse to Melbourne with the others and it’s early days yet,” Heathcote said.
“I liked the way he won the Listed race last start when he ran a sub-1.35.
“Any horse who runs that sort of time is pretty good.
“To go to Melbourne he’ll need to win on Saturday and if he does, I’ll freshen him up and send him south with the others.”
Gold Coast jockey Glen Colless will be the new rider for Work The Room with successful last-start rider Paul Hammersley required for Grafton Cup winner Warrior Within.
AAP TURF
