Rothfire scares rivals

BRILLIANT two-year-old Rothfire has scared off many of his potential rivals, leaving the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO without a capacity field for the first time.

The Jewel has been run under various names as a grand final for QTIS-eligible horses since Tinto won the inaugural race in 2013.

It has always attracted big fields as the fourth richest twoyear-old race in Queensland.

Rothfire will start a short priced favourite on his undefeated run of four wins and will have only nine opponents at

the Gold Coast’s $1.6 million race meeting on Saturday.

The gelding has won his past three starts by a combined 15 lengths.

The Gold Coast track was

rated heavy yesterday after torrential rain on Tuesday brought the seven-day total to 66mm.

Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote makes no secret of

the fact he has little luck at the Gold Coast but believes class will see Rothfire through no matter what the track.

“My best win at the Gold Coast was with Buffering the

QTIS Magic Millions race and Rothfire is an exciting horse who like Buffering has been set for a big race,” he said.

Heathcote said wet or dry he was confident Rothfire was ready to race well. It is likely to be the gelding’s last run as a two-year-old before having a break for the spring.

Heathcote has a strong chance of a feature race double on Saturday as he also has Guntantes in The Jewel 3YO.

While the big race day is the focus on Saturday, Magic Millions is gearing up for another bumper QTIS Sale next week, with a catalogue spearheaded by young gun sires Spirit Of Boom and Better Than Ready.

Year after year this sale throws up bargain buys which go on to earn many times their purchase price through the QTIS bonus system.

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said there had never been a better time to own a QTIS-registered horse.

“It’s quite extraordinary the amount of money QTIS horses race for these days,” Bowditch said.

Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell said QTIS payouts reached a record $6.5 million through the first half of this financial year.

“That’s up $1.4 million on the previous year,” he said.