Heathcote cool on Slipper for Rothfire

Saturday 29 February 2020, 3:23pm

Trainer Robert Heathcote refused to be drawn into speculation star two-year-old Rothfire could be a late entry for the Group One Golden Slipper after the gelding remained unbeaten at Doomben.

Starting the shortest-priced favourite in Brisbane in years, Rothfire ($1.16) bounced straight to the lead on Saturday and went on to beat Mishani Fraudster ($50) ) by 4-1/2 lengths in the $125,000 Two-Year-Old The Jewel Prelude (1200m).

Rothfire's fourth win was even more impressive as jockey Robbie Fradd eased him down in the final 100m.

Heathcote said Rothfire would definitely start in the $500,000 Two-Year-Old The Jewel at the Gold Coast on March 14.

"The Jewel has always been his aim and we won't be leaving that path. I don't want to say anything outlandish but there have been a few favourites for the Slipper go over in the past few weeks," he said.

"We have him in the ATC Sires and he is not entered for the Slipper, we would have to pay a late entry. I would have to talk with the owners and I will have to make up my mind pretty soon. But I will say no more."

Heathcote admitted he had some butterflies in the lead-up to the race but as soon as the gates opened he relaxed.

"He can do things no other two-year-old I have had can do. Even my multiple Group One winner Buffering took time to mature," he said.

"I still don't know how good he really is at this stage."

Fradd said Rothfire was the most exciting horse he had ridden since moving to Queensland.

"He is a real racehorse and I am yet to fully test him at the finish," he said.

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »