Robert Heathcote is already plotting his second Group One triumph following Saturday's breakthrough salute with super swooper Woorim in the Oakleigh Plate.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Queensland's premier trainer will launch a two-pronged assault on the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in a fortnight at Flemington, when Woorim jumps alongside stablemate Buffering.
Woorim brilliantly delivered Heathcote's maiden Group One triumph on Saturday, rattling home from last at the 200m to score from Elite Falls on the line.
It was his first run in a campaign Heatcote hoped would deliver the Doncaster Handicap (1600m).
He'll run similarly in the Newmarket down the straight six furlongs at Flemington, while Buffering will likely be right up on the speed.
Potentially standing in Heathcote's way are two of the country's best sprinters in Hay List and the seemingly unstoppable Rain Affair but Heathcote said both of his horses would be right in the race.
“Buffering won't let them [Hay List and Rain Affair] get away with cheap sectionals, he'll be putting the pressure on,” Heathcote said.
“Dreams are free and I've always said that.
“Even this last 18 months to two years. My lack of winning a Group One had gathered momentum.
“I said look, we'll be there trying and when things go our way we'll win.
“I've never had one who can finish like that, he [Woorim] breaks 11 seconds at the end of his races and yet holding him up he won't even get on the bloody bit and travel for the first 400m.”
Hay List at this stage is unlikely to contest the sprint, but trainer John McNair could be swayed to run if the handicapper is favourable when weights for the $1m Melbourne autumn feature are released on Tuesday.
He ran second to Black Caviar in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) last weekend, while Rain Affair notched his ninth straight win in typically emphatic fashion on Saturday winning the Group Two Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill.
Like most racing fans, Heathcote was impressed by Rain Affair's latest effort, but believed the Joe Pride trained superstar would be vulnerable at Flemington.
“He's got to be in the best five in the country on what we've seen, but as Joe Pride rightly points out in the media, there's still a few boxes he hasn't ticked yet,” Heathcote said.
“He hasn't travelled, he hasn't gone up the straight [at Flemington], he hasn't gone the Melbourne way of going.
“Any horse that wins 10 races from 11 or whatever he's won, and the ridiculous ease with which he put away some of those good quality horses on Saturday, he's clearly an up-and-coming top horse.
“He's been doing it all in the comfort of his backyard.”
Heathcote admitted he was still feeling the effects of Saturday's drought-breaking Oakleigh Plate triumph, but said the magnitude of the victory had started to sink in.
“Sunday, a little bit of a hangover, I paid a bit of a penalty for the celebrations,” Heathcote said.
“I'm taking all my staff out for dinner tonight and we had a bit of a chat this morning and I said guys, feel proud, we've got two millionaires in our stable and two Group One horses.
“A lot of stables would be happy to have that.
“He [Woorim] is such a relaxed easy-going customer at the best of times, nothing fazes him.
“When we walk him out of his box you don't even have to tie him up, you just stand there and he'll wait for you. He's like a pony the bastard, he's unbelievable.”
