Trainer
Rob Heathcote's judgement proved spot on when Racing Heart continued his excellent
form in the Mt St. Michael's College Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Racing
Heart, ridden to perfection by apprentice Kirk Matheson, landed his third win
from his past five starts with a three-quarters of a length win over Topping.
Warrior
Within was a further 1-3/4 lengths back third.
"Everything went to plan,"
Heathcote said.
"We wanted a bit of speed on up front to
make it a genuine staying test and that's how it panned out.
"I thought if there was a chink in
Topping's armour it was the distance.
"We knew our guy would see it out. He’s
won over 2400m. He’s rock hard fit and is feeling fantastic."
Heathcote has done a remarkable job with
Racing Heart who started his career looking like he was a genuine sprinter.
"It’s
quite funny actually. His first race was a 1000m race and he won by nearly five
and I thought what I nice little sprinter we are going to have.
"That’s twelve wins now all the way up
to over 2400m, so he has just been a great horse for his connections. He puts
in."
Heathcote is now in a dilemma where to head
next with Racing Heart who took his record to 12 wins from 40 starts.
"I've got three options and I'll look
at them all very carefully," he said.
"The first option is to go give him
three weeks off and go for the Magic Millions Stayer's Cup in January.
"But it's hard not to keep going when
horses like him are in such good form.
"He's nominated for the Wyong Cup as
well and I'm not ruling it out.
"I'll have a look at the nominations
and see how he pulls up but I'm probably leaning to running him in a 2000-metre
race at Doomben in a few weeks."
Matheson, who landed a double at the
meeting, followed Heathcote's instructions to the letter on Racing Heart who
has now earned almost $424,000 in prizemoney.
"Rob asked me to roll along a bit in
front," Matheson said.
"I did have Topping come up outside us.
I knew my one would keep fighting with a horse outside him.
"He was comfortable all the way. He did
it easy."
Heathcote
ran Racing Heart in this year's Magic Millions Stayer's Cup (1800m) when the
son of Show A Heart finished third to the Gai Waterhouse-trained Kontiki Park.
"I'd like to see the Stayer's Cup run
over 2100 metres or more," Heathcote said.
"It's
hardly a staying race when it's only over 1800 metres."
Racing Queensland webnews September 2
Photo: Trackside Photography
