Trainer Robert Heathcote (right) has added Funded to his Brisbane stables

Trainer Robert Heathcote is counting his lucky stars after choosing to accept tried galloper Funded into his stables just ten weeks ago.

Heathcote’s first reaction was to turn Co-owner Peter Price away due to the lack of room at his Brisbane stables.

“I had never spoken to or heard of Peter when he rang asking me if I had room to train Funded,” Heathcote said.

“I told him the only way I could take him was if I stacked a few of my horses on top of each other.

“But once he told me Funded had just won a Geelong maiden by four lengths and was a son of Zabeel which he bought off Lloyd Williams for $60,000, I soon made room.”

Funded will have his first Queensland run in the Kedron Wavell Services Handicap at Doomben tomorrow.

The promising Zabeel four-year-old was purchased from the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sales in 2009 for $165,000.

“He’s a nice horse and I’ve only had him for 10 weeks,” Heathcote said.

“I barrier trialled him at Doomben last week and he’ll probably find this trip (1350m) a little short.

“He’ll be doing his best work at the end of this race but I’d like to think he can go through the grades here.

“I’m still on a learning curve with him but he should be competitive.”