Dreams are
free.
That's the
expression trainer Rob Heathcote used after Solzhenitsyn's stunning
comeback victory in the Hanrick Curran Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Heathcote was
referring to Solzhenitsyn's nomination for Australia's weight-for-age championship,
the G1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley next month.
Having his first
start since his win in the Listed Strawberry Road Handicap (1600m) at Eagle
Farm in June, Solzhenitsyn produced a stunning finish to down Bold Glance by
one length.
The Toby
Edmonds-trained War Ends was a further 2-1/4 lengths way third.
"I've
nominated him for the Cox Plate and dreams are free," Heathcote said.
"But
realistically he'll have to win either the Sir Rupert Clarke or Toorak Handicap
to warrant running in the Cox Plate.
"He's
a very good horse and lived up to my expectations so I'm really delighted to see
him come back and win so well.
"He
needed to do something today to warrant a trip to Melbourne for a Group One
race.
"Bold
Glance is a very good horse but we gave him weight and a start and beat him
easily."
Heathcote
has booked a flight to Melbourne on September 25 for Solzhenitsyn who will
travel down with glamour stablemate Buffering and Excellantes.
"He's
a high profile horse now and it's reassuring to see him put his hand up in his
comeback," Heathcote said.
"At
this stage he'll run next in the Sir Rupert Clarke before going on to the Toorak."
The G1 Sir
Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) will be run at Caulfield on September 29.
Heathcote
had some reservations how Solzhenitsyn would cope under his big weight of 60
kilograms but the six-year-old, who has now won 10 of his 22 starts, made light
work of it.
"He's
already won at weight-for-age and won twice with 59 kilograms during the winter,"
he said.
"My
original intention was to claim on him but when Anthony Allen had the 'flu, I made
the decision to check with the owners before booking Damian Browne.
"Damian rode him perfectly and is in the frame now to ride him down
south.
"But the
owners have a good relationship with James McDonald and he's also a chance of
riding him."
Solzhenitsyn, a son of St Petersburg, is part-owned by well known
bloodstock agents Paul Willetts and Damon Gabbedy and friends.
"Damon
is a bloodstock agent in Melbourne and Paul has been my bloodstock agent
and a close friend of mine since I first
started training."
Racing Queensland webnews September 8
Photo: Trackside Photography
