The Robert Heathcote trained Rothfire is back on track to take on ‘Australia’s best colt’ in the Run To The Rose on Saturday week after a slight set back.
The gelding suffered minor cuts to his near foreleg when he became cast in his box on Monday, ruling him out of a jump out at Doomben the following morning.
The star Queenslander was treated with a mild anti-inflammatory and antibiotics as a precautionary measure and he showed no signs of injury after a jump out between races at Eagle Farm yesterday.
“I wanted him to run 32 and he has, but it looked like he was going slow,” Heathcote told the Courier Mail.
Rothfire will clash with Farnan in what is shaping up to be a quality packed Run To The Rose on September 12th with plenty of bragging rights on the line between the two trainers after Gai Waterhouse dubbed Farnan Australia’s ‘best colt’ during the week.
“Farnan is the best colt in Australia and I cannot see any reason why he should be defeated this preparation,” Waterhouse tweeted during the week.
Heathcote however has downplayed the clash of the two start three-year-old suggesting his horse will be out to prove himself with Farnan having the wins on the board already.
“Over the next month we are going to sort the pecking order out and I think that’s the excitement of going into this spring, the pecking order hasn’t been sorted out yet,” he said.
“There’s no doubt, Farnan has been unbelievably impressive. Two super trials, there’s no denying that, he’s got the runs on the board with the Golden Slipper and five from six. He’s certainly going to be hard to beat.
