Heathcote braces for bumper weekend

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Rob Heathcote is bracing for an emotional long weekend as his two Group 1 winners Rothfire and Startantes bid for Magic Millions starts at the Gold Coast on January 13.

Startantes lines up alongside stable mates The Big Goodbye and Zoushack in what could be her final start in The Buffering at Doomben on Saturday, while Rothfire tackles the $750,000 King Of the Mountain at Toowoomba on Monday.

Rothfire will gain an automatic start in the Magic Millions QTIS race if successful in the King Of The Mountain while if Startantes’ wins, she’ll head to the Magic Millions Cup.

“I made an error and thought Startantes would get a lot more weight but she’s only got 54kgs in The Buffering,” Heathcote said.

“With that weight she’ll be very competitive and if she wins she’ll go straight into the Magic Millions Cup.

“However, if she doesn’t she’ll be sold at the Inglis sales and we’re expecting to get a seven-figure amount for her as she’s a Group 1 winner.”

Heathcote was delighted with Startantes’ latest effort when she flashed home along the rails to finish fifth, just over two lengths from winner Chatty Lady in the Listed Just Now at Eagle Farm on December 9.

“I thought her last run in the Just Now was terrific but she had to carry a big weight which told towards the end,” he said.

Startantes is a daughter of Star Turn from the well-performed mare Funtantes, who is a daughter of Heathcote’s former top producing broodmare, Cantantes.

Cantantes was no star on the racetrack winning only two of her 37 starts but was a star in the breeding barn going on to be one of Queensland’s best broodmares over the past two decades.

Meanwhile, Heathcote can’t fault Rothfire ahead of his King Of The Mountain assignment.

Rothfire has been given a light summer campaign and goes into the Toowoomba feature with one run under his belt when second to the Tony Gollan-trained Zoustyle in the Group 3 George Moore at Doomben last month.

“His last run was super and the King Of The Mountain has been his target race all along," he said.

“He had a week off after the George Moore and has won a barrier trial since so everything is spot on.

“A win will get him into the Magic Millions QTIS race and he’ll then spell for the Queensland winter.”