Promising three-year-old Guntantes is giving every indication he can defy his breeding and win at 1600m.
Guntantes will clash with unbeaten stablemate Profit in what looms as the highlight of the Eagle Farm meeting.
The pair met two weeks ago when Profit beat Guntantes into second place in a over 1400m.
They will both be stepping to the 1600m for the first time in the Dave Hickey 30+ Handicap.
Profit is bred to be 2400m horse, being by Derby winner Dundeel out of a Redoute’s Choice mare in Opportunity.
But Guntantes is bred more along sprinting lines, being by Queensland Guineas winner Rothesay out of the mare Cantantes.
The Cantantes story is one of the most often told in Queensland racing as she has been a prolific producer of winners.
Cantantes won two races for trainer Robert Heathcote who has at some stage trained all nine of her winning foals.
The best of Cantantes offspring have been the Group Two winner Funtantes and multiple stakes winner Execellantes who were both sprinters.
Guntantes, who is Cantantes’ second last foal, looked like following in their footsteps with an impressive early season win as a two-year-old.
However, Heathcote, who now trains in partnership with Chris Anderson, has been saying for some time Guntantes will be best when the distances get longer.
“Guntantes has really been looking for 1600m to 2000m. He gets his chance on Saturday to show it,” Heathcote said.
“He was strong on the line last time.”
Profit is proving a star for Anderson-Heathcote Racing, winning both of his starts.
Heathcote rates him as potentially the best horse in the stable.
A $280,000 yearling buy at the Magic Millions Sales, Profit is shaping as the partnership’s Queensland Derby hope next year.
“As we always say you never get ahead of yourself in racing but he is shaping nicely,” Heathcote said.
Profit is raced by the Think Big Stud which also has promising filly Wurnic in the race.
