Heathcote hoping for Startantes Silver lining
IT was a horror watch for Startantes punters and Rob Heathcote last start, but the Eagle Farm trainer is looking for silver linings as his Group 1 winner heads to the $1m Silver Eagle on Saturday.
His pint-sized mare never got a crack at them in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m), leaving Heathcote hoping it has left plenty of petrol in the tank for Saturday’s task, which will likely come on a heavy track.
“At the end of the day she has had a soft second-up run, which going into a 1300m race at Randwick could be a blessing in disguise,” he said of his
$9 chance.
“It wasn’t so much the ride, it was just timing and bad luck. The reality with a girl like her is that you are always going to need a stroke of luck because she gets back, needs speed on and an unimpeded run to the line.”
Heathcote confirmed Jason Collett would stay in the saddle for Saturday, but said there were no guarantees they head to the $10m Golden Eagle at the end of the month against Australia’s best four-year-olds.
“Saturday is worth a million bucks, someone rang me and said it is a nice lead-up to the big one worth $10m, I said ‘I will take the little one on Saturday, thanks very much’,” he laughed.
It comes as Heathcote revealed he could add to his Victorian Spring Carnival team in the form of Sweet Margot May, who is racing in careerbest form in Queensland.
The mare has relished the move to Heathcote’s stable, winning three times this year.
“She is having a run in two weeks over 1400m, if she wins I may take her down to Flemington on Melbourne Cup day or Oaks day,” Heathcote said.