While top Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote has placed his best talent up against Black Caviar in the BTC Cup at Doomben tomorrow, he also has a team of chances in much of the day’s program.
In the first race of the day Heathcote is represented by five-year-old gelding Heartshaker, who has finished no worse than second in his last five starts.
The trainer rates the Show A Heart gelding as his best winning chance of the day in the Acadia Landscapes Class 6 Plate.
In the second race, Heathcote’s Gundy Son will have his first run back from a spell, and the trainer believes the horse is fit and back in form.
“I really do expect him to be getting to the line strong,” Heathcote said.
Work The Room will also be first-up when he runs in Race 3 at Doomben tomorrow, and Heathcote is hoping the ex-Melbourne horse’s Victorian form will continue up in Queensland.
“There’s not a doubt looking at his races down in Melbourne (that) he’s a good racehorse,” Heathcote said.
“He’s got such a lovely long fluent stride.”
Heathcote will also run both Tabulate and Fillydelphia during tomorrow’s BTC Cup Day, hoping the two of them can return to their once spectacular form.
Heathcote has prepared Tabulate differently for tomorrow’s race, hoping it will make all the difference.
“We’ve taken him down the beach a few times to sort of mentally freshen him up a bit,” Heathcote said.
The trainer is also concerned that Fillydelphia may have lost her edge due to her number of past defeats.
“We actually think she’s just lost her confidence,” Heathcote said.
The three-year-old filly’s last winter preparation saw her win or place in six of her seven race starts.
“If she can recover her form she will be competitive,” Heathcote said.