Heathcote chasing double in The Archer

By Glenn Davis

Robert Heathcote is hoping the long Callaghan Park straight will play into the hands of Startantes when the Eagle Farm trainer bids for back-to-back wins in The Archer at Rockhampton on Sunday.

Heathcote won the inaugural The Archer last year with Emerald Kingdom, who downed the now retired Group 1-winner Apache Chase.

The Archer was held on a Saturday last year, clashing with the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes, but this year is being run at the stand-alone Sunday meeting and carries prize money of $775,000.

Emerald Kingdom is now one of Startantes’ main rivals and will be out to defend his Archer crown after he moved stables. 

Emerald Kingdom's recent form includes a stakes win in the Listed Recognition Stakes at the Gold Coast in November last year and The Buffering at Doomben in December.

A daughter of Star Turn, Startantes, has drawn a horror gate of 17 but is still a $3.70 favourite for The Archer after her eye-catching run behind stable mate Prince Of Boom in the Listed Ascot Handicap over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm on April 15.

“The long straight at Rockhampton is the main reason I targeted her for this race,” Heathcote said.

“She’s done well since her last run and I’m confident she’ll run well again.”

Startantes is a Group 1-winner in her own right after claiming the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm in June last year.

However, the four-year-old mare did not to reproduce her best form in three Sydney starts last spring including the $1 million Silver Eagle at Randwick in October when she beat only one runner home.

Startantes was given a long spell following her tough campaigns as a two and three-year-old and showed she was back to her best with an eye-catching run in the Listed Ascot Handicap over an unsuitable 1000 metres at Eagle Farm on April 15.

Meanwhile, the Emerald Kingdom camp has adopted a similar plan as Heathcote did with the gelding last year.

Emerald Kingdom, a $7.50 chance in latest TAB markets after drawing gate three, went into last year’s race second-up from a spell.

The eight-year-old was doing his best work late when he resumed with a closing fourth to Prince Of Boom in the Listed Ascot Handicap

Emerald Kingdom has been successful first-up only once in 10 starts but is a second-up specialist with five wins from nine starts.