Robert Heathcote admits it’s a trainer’s cliché but says old marvel Rothfire looks better than ever.
The eight-year-old gelding will line up in the $3 million Russel Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday having spent a few days down in Melbourne since winning the Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) on Everest day.
“He looks fantastic. In fact, I know it’s an old cliché and a lot of trainers say it, I think he looks better than what he did two weeks ago,” Heathcote said.
“When he won the Sydney Stakes, I sent him down to Euroa to the Lindsay Park operation,” Heathcote said.
“He had three days running around in a paddock, and then he went further down to Flemington, where John Bunting is a master farrier. He tends to Rothfire’s feet because he doesn’t have the best hooves.”
“Then I just did what I did last time, floated him up on the Thursday night, a little bit of a light exercise this afternoon, a little light exercise Saturday morning, and off to the races.”
Heathcote is still in awe of Rothfire even being able to race, let alone win at Group level given the myriad of issues he’s had.
“I’m unbelievably proud of him. With what this horse has gone through in his career, the level of injury that he suffered as a three-year-old, to not only compete at this high level, to succeed at this high level is quite extraordinary,” Heathcote said.
While under no illusions Rothfire is up against a better class of horse on Saturday, with six Everest runners including third placegetter and race favourite Jimmysstar, Heathcote believes the $23 chance can acquit himself well.
“In Rothfire’s favour, he’s run second in two Stradbroke’s at 1400 metres,” Heathcote noted.
“He’ll be up on the speed somewhere. If we can get a little bit of cover and Jason can time it right when the chips are down, he’ll be strong to the line.”
On the same day as Rothfire winning the Sydney Stakes, Heathcote also had five-year-old mare Abounding win the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, and it sets up what could be another big day for the Queensland based trainer.
Abounding is a $10 chance in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, and Heathcote says an inside draw is key to seeing her measure up against the likes of Fangirl and Pride Of Jenni.
“Drawing barrier one, that will force Jamie (Melham) to stay on the paint, maybe three pairs back, be conservative, it’ll help her get the 1600 metres,” Heathcote said.
“It’s a good race but she’s in super form, and at the end of the day, I came down to Melbourne with her not even contemplating a run in the Empire Rose, and here we are on the third line of betting.”
