Group 1 winning juvenile Rothfire showed that he is ready to turn up the heat on his rivals in the upcoming Spring Carnival with a slashing all the way win in an 840m barrier trial at Doomben today.
Rothfire, above, is the favourite for the Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Rothfire was having his first public appearance since winning the Group 1 $350,000 J J Atkins (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 6 and he went to the line under double wraps from Jim Byrne to record a two and half lengths win in the trial.
The Robert Heathcote trained three year old has been installed as the $6 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 26.
Heathcote is also hopeful that Rothfire will gain the attention of slot owners for $15m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 17 and get his chance to be pitted up against the older sprinters.
Ladbrokes.com.au have Rothfire marked as a $12 chance for The Everest but Heathcote would like him to prove himself against the older horses but he is certain he can compete against the top three year olds below the border.
“That won’t be answered until he takes on the big boys but certainly his own age group,” Heathcote told racenet.
“The Run To The Rose he is going to carry three, three and a half kilos more. He meets then at equal weights in the Golden Rose and then it is the big time.”
“He is very smart.”
Heathcote will give Rothfire one more barrier trial before heading south to run in the Group 2 $200,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on September 12.
“We come back here in two weeks time and do it again and then two weeks into The Run To The Rose,” Heathcote said.
“He has had a spell and come back and his work leading into today’s trial has been super.
“We expected that today, he delivered.
“Jimmy just came back and said ‘he’s bang on target.”
The Run To The Rose is run under set weights plus penalties conditions and Rothfire will have to carry 3.5kg over the base weight of 55kg for the colts and geldings for his win in the Group 1 J J Atkins while the Golden Rose Stakes has set weights, 56.5kg for the colts and geldings and 54.5kg for the fillies.
Rothfire is the winner of six of his seven race starts and the $10,000 yearling purchase has earned $758,400 in prizemoney.
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