Brisbane trainer Rob Heathcote confident ironhorse Rothfire will be competitive in Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm
The seven-year-old gelding will make his first race appearance of 2025 when he competes against a stacked field in the Victory Stakes on the opening day of the Queensland winter carnival.
He will go up against the likes of Tony Gollan-trained stars Hidden Wealth and Freedom Rally, Group 1-winning mare Lady Laguna and The Kosciuszko champion Far Too Easy, who will be ridden by top jockey Craig Williams.
TAB has posted Hidden Wealth as the early $5 favourite ahead of the Chris Waller-trained Coleman and David McColm's Far Too Easy (both $5.50), with Rothfire paying $18 on Wednesday afternoon.
'It's a quality field but that's to be expected for a $300,000 race,' Heathcote said.
'I've said it a thousand times with my old boy Rothfire, there's no doubting his ability.
'I need a track that's not too firm and he'll be competitive. It's just his nature, he doesn't know how to be non-competitive.'
This is likely to be the final winter carnival for Rothfire, the winner of 10 of 32 races, including the 2020 Group 1 JJ Atkins (1400m), given his well-documented battle with career-threatening injuries.
It was nearly all over for Rothfire in September 2020 when he suffered a severe sesamoid injury but the ironhorse made a miraculous comeback to racing just 12 months later.
Heathcote also has high hopes in the Victory Stakes for his four-year-old mare Abounding, who finished seventh in her last start, the $2m Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on the Gold Coast on January 17, although she has drawn awkwardly in barrier 13 for Saturday.
'She's going super. The 1200m is probably going to be a shade on the sharp side for her but last preparation she ran a cracker first-up,' Heathcote said.
'She won a Listed fillies and mares race first-up over 1200m, the Tatts Classic (in late November), and she was really strong late.
'I'm expecting a good run from her on Saturday. She didn't have a lot of luck in her subsequent two runs – the Nudgee Listed (on December 28) and the Magic Millions Cup down on the Gold Coast – but she's quality plus and she'll run a big race.'
Heathcote nominated five-year-old gelding Hidden Wealth, the winner of more than $1.4m in prizemoney, as 'clearly the one to beat' in the Victory Stakes, which Gollan won last year with his stable star Antino.
'You don't just have to beat Tony Gollan, you've got Annabel Neasham, Chris Waller and James Cummings,' Heathcote said of the top trainers looking for an early scalp in the winter carnival.
'You need to have your horses in the best order to be competitive against this lot.'
Cosmo Centaurus will run in Sunday's $1m The Archer (1300m) slot race.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Queensland comeback king Rothfire sets sights on Melbourne Group 1 spring carnival targets
Rob Heathcote's former champion Buffering is the most successful horse in Moir Stakes history and the trainer will wind back the clock as he sets evergreen warrior Rothfire for a first-up tilt at the Group 1 sprint at The Valley next month. Three of Buffering's seven Group 1 triumphs came in the Moir (2012, 2014 and 2015) and it's remarkable to think that eight-year-old Rothfire will get the chance to walk in the great horse's hoofprints. Rothfire has not only survived but thrived through several major injury setbacks in his 35-start career and Heathcote shudders to think how good his Group 1 winner could have been, had he not been to hell and back on several occasions. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The miracle horse was back to near his best during the Queensland winter carnival when he ran one of the races of his life to only narrowly go down to Sunshine In Paris in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000. But then a foot infection flared and despite winning a race against time to take his place in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, Rothfire finished seventh and was beaten just over three lengths by new star War Machine on a firm track he didn't enjoy. What a FINISH! ðŸ¤�ðŸ�¼ SUNSHINE IN PARIS edges out ROTHFIRE to land the G1 Doomben 10,000 for @mcacajamez @ANeashamRacing ☀ï¸� — World Pool (@WorldPool) May 17, 2025 • Robl back to the grind after epic Cup triumph Heathcote, however, saw enough in his Doomben 10,000 run to unleash him for another crack at the Melbourne spring. 'His run in the Doomben 10,000 has shown that he is up to it,' Heathcote said. 'It will be a pleasure for me to get the opportunity to take the old boy back to Melbourne again. 'The Moir will be his first race and then we will go to the Group 1 Manikato Stakes. 'If I can keep him sound, healthy and happy he will always be competitive around the Valley, he loves it.' • No more bets! Deal done for 2026 Cox Plate home Heathcote insists that if Rothfire had enjoyed a trouble free Stradbroke preparation and had a nice run in the race, he would have given Queensland's most prestigious race a mighty shake. Rothfire had been locked in for a slot in the 2020 edition of The Everest until injury ruled him out of the $20m sprint. An Everest would be too tall a mountain to climb in the twilight years of Rothfire's career, but Heathcote is eyeing off a rich consolation race on the same day at Randwick. 'I'm hoping after his Melbourne runs we can head to Sydney for the ($2m) Sydney Stakes on Everest day. 'I do think that he could have given the Straddy a shake if things went well, but the track was too firm for him that day and he had an interrupted preparation. 'But to his credit he still ran seventh and he was there when the cards were on table. 'He's got the heart of a lion and he's tough. Stablemate Abounding, last seen finishing runner-up behind Tashi in the Group 1 Tatt's Tiara at Eagle Farm in June, will join Rothfire in Melbourne. Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington.
Courier-Mail
2 days ago
- Courier-Mail
Kaylee McKeown hard launches new relationship with ex-AFL player Declan Watson, swimming latest news
Don't miss out on the headlines from Swimming. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia's Olympic golden girl Kaylee McKeown has publicly revealed her new partner – former North Melbourne AFL-listed-player-turned-lawyer Declan Watson – just a week after her stunning world championships performance in Singapore. McKeown is undoubtedly one of Australia's biggest Olympic stars, the first Aussie in history to win back-to-back 100m-200m swimming titles following her incredible performances in Paris last year. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. But behind the golden glow McKeown suffered heartache, with a split from her long term boyfriend and fellow Dolphins swimmer Brendan Smith. McKeown and Smith had dated for about four years, both having set up base on the Gold Coast in the lead up to the Paris Olympics training under Michael Bohl. But since the split, and with Bohl relocating to China, McKeown has left the Gold Coast and relocated back home to the Sunshine Coast with her family to continue her swimming career. Swim star Kaylee McKeown has publicly revealed her new partner Declan Watson. Picture: Instagram McKeown with her new beau at Uluru. Picture: Instagram However the 24-year-old has clearly moved on with life, winning double backstroke gold again in Singapore and then returning home for a well-deserved holiday with her new man posting some stunning photos of their holiday to Uluru. Watson too posted photos of McKeown on his Instagram page – making the duo Insta-official. × The 26-year-old was drafted by North Melbourne with pick No.34 in the 2016 draft but after back-to-back ACL injuries the key defender never played a game for the Kangaroos and was de-listed in 2019. He has since returned home to Brisbane where he now works as a lawyer. 'Declan showed some great potential but unfortunately was set back with injury,' North VFL coach David Loader said at the time. 'He was a great contributor to our group and we certainly wish him all the best for the future.'
Courier-Mail
2 days ago
- Courier-Mail
Japanese Group 1 winner Panja Tower set for Golden Eagle tilt
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Japanese star Panja Tower has been confirmed as the latest foreign raider set for a $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) assault at Royal Randwick this year. Trainer Shinsuke Hashigushi has put Australia's coveted four-year-old feature in his crosshairs as he attempts to replicate the success of fellow Japanese raider Obamburumai in 2023. Obamburumai gave Japan its first victory in the Golden Eagle two years ago when scoring under the urging of Australian-based jockey Josh Parr. Panja Tower is a winner of three of her five career starts to date and has twice one in stakes grade, including the Group 1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo on May 11. Pro Tips View All Aaron Mills - Last 28 Days Profit Profit 0 * ROI 0 Strike Rate 0 Units Tipped 0 Avg. Winner Odds 0 • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Price assessors at TAB quickly installed Panja Tower as an $11 chance on the same line of betting as Aeliana, Evaporate, Linebacker and Treasurethe Moment. 'His trainer, Mr Hashiguchi, when he won the NHK Mile, the first thing he said in his winning interview was that he would send this horse to the Golden Eagle,' Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering Nevesh Ramdhani told Sky Racing radio. 'That horse is now locked in to travel to Sydney for the race.' • 'Could be anything this season': Legendary hoops pick their spring stars Japan has representation in last year's Golden Eagle with favourite Ascoli Piceno (12th) failing to perform as expected while Corazon Beat finished last. But the international trend continued in the feature with English galloper Lake Forest edging out French talent Lazzat in an incident-charged edition of the race. It is hoped that multiple European gallopers head to Australia again for the four-year-old feature, including recent Thoroughbred Stakes victor Seagulls Eleven. Seagulls Eleven, which is raced by members of the Premier League's Brighton Hove Albion, is a $26 chance in betting. • Skyhook, Pallaton duel for Rosebud favouritism Trainer Hugo Palmer confirmed last Friday to Racing TV that a trip to Australia was still on the radar. 'It's a lot of money to pass up so we'll just have to see.' he said. Fellow English trainer Charlie Fellowes last week reiterated his desire to bring Luther ($26) to Australia for the Golden Eagle. Originally published as Japan's Group 1 weapon Panja Tower poised to head to Australia for $10 million Golden Eagle
