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Group 1 winner Rob Heathcote has called for a more weight-for-age friendly summer schedule as his grand sprinter Rothfire prepares to lug the proverbial grandstand in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
Heathcote said he won’t hesitate to scratch his star sprinter if consistent rain around the Brisbane area keeps the Doomben track in the heavy range, saying the 61kg could prove too much.
Rothfire will give the next closest horse in the weights – Baller – a 3.5kg advantage and Heathcote said he needs to focus on getting him to the $750,000 King Of The Mountain in one piece.
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If he was to win the Toowoomba slot race on New Year’s Day, Rothfire would also earn a wildcard into the $1m Magic Millions QTIS Open (1300m) on Magic Millions day at the Gold Coast.
“He has to carry 61kg, Baller has 57.5 and Zoustyle 56, Zoustyle is still a bloody good horse,” Heathcote said.
“I think Rothfire is the best proven horse, but if it is a heavy track, I may hold him back.
“The horse is in great order but the big fish to fry is the King Of The Mountain and then getting him into the Magic Millions.”
With the Bribie and Falvelon also under handicap conditions in the coming weeks, Heathcote said he’d like to see a softer option for Group 1 sprinters to kick-off summer campaigns.
After placing in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap during the winter in the last two years, it will again loom as his main target next year.
“I get that we were going to always get 61kg but I think they should be at least one weight for age sprint race on during the summer,” he said.
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“It’s not essential, the winter carnival is still very high on his agenda because there are good options, there is the Victory Stakes, the Kingsford Smith, it’s much harder in summer for him.”
It comes as Heathcote was forced to hit reset on Prince Of Boom’s summer campaign after putting in a shocker at the Sunshine Coast earlier this month.
Stewards forced the horse to pass a barrier trial, which he did at Deagon on Tuesday, putting his campaign back on track.
“He would have been there on Saturday but we had to give him an official trial, so we will have a look,” Heathcote said.
“We have done all the tests on him and he trialled at Deagon on Tuesday, he is still on track.
“It’s maybe the Bribie, maybe the Falvelon, we will have a good think.”
Originally published as Rob Heathcote reveals summer concerns for Rothfire ahead of George Moore Stakes test
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