OIympic Anthem spearheads Heathcote charge

Tuesday 1 April 2014, 3:00pm

Trainer Robert Heathcote is ready to roll out more big guns in his quest to retain the Brisbane premiership and have a major winter carnival impact.

Heathcote is third in the trainers' premiership on 31-1/2 wins behind Tony Gollan on 36 and Matt Dunn on 35.

Heathcote trialled his promising three-year-olds Olympic Anthem and Sea Red at Deagon last week and was pleased with what he saw when they ran second and third respectively behind Tax Rebate over 1000m.

Olympic Anthem will run in the Goulburn Valley Handicap at Doomben on Wednesday and is one of six scheduled runners for Heathcote as long as there is not too much more rain in south-east Queensland.

"They weren't knocked about but I liked the way they went about things," Heathcote said."

Olympic Anthem is being set for the three-year-old feature races in the 1400m-1600m range with the Queensland Guineas a target.

"I've always had an opinion of Olympic Anthem but he wasn't spot-on last campaign and we gave him just one run," Heathcote said.

Heathcote is hopeful Sea Red will get a chance in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m).

"I know she got beaten at her last two starts before a break but both times she was cluttered up inside horses," he said.

"I think you will see a different horse when she gets to the outside with plenty of galloping room."

Sea Red is likely to make her return to racing in a fortnight.

Heathcote is waiting for dry tracks for his handy sprinter Excellantes who was scratched from Doomben on Saturday.

Depending on the weather Excellantes will start in the Weetwood Handicap (1200m) at Toowoomba on April 12 or the Hinkler Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm on April 19.

– AAP

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