3 minute read
It’s been quite some time since trainer Robert Heathcote has put his hands on smart filly Startantes but he knows when she steps out in Saturday’s $2m The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick it will be like he’s been there every step of the way.
That's because when Heathcote sends horses interstate it's usually with Melanie Sharpe, his racing manager and trackwork rider, by their side.
She travelled the world with his former star Buffering, has been with Rothfire in two Sydney spring campaigns under Covid protocols and has been guiding Startantes since she arrived prior to the Golden Rose.
There'd be nobody Heathcote trusts more with his horses.
"I have to defer a fair bit to Melanie Sharpe. I haven't seen this horse for six weeks now and remote training is no fun,'' Heathcote said.
"I have enormous faith and trust in Mel, she tells me the filly is bucking her brand off. She said 'as far as I'm concerned I can't fault the horse'.
"She worked on the course proper (on Tuesday), John Thompson was clocking her, and they ran up the last 400m in 23 seconds. Mel said the tank certainly wasn't empty."
Startantes backed up after a gallant sixth in the Group 1 Golden Rose to finish into third placing in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) three weeks ago.
Heathcote said The Invitation is the perfect race for his filly, who will carry 52kg with Group 1 winning jockey Robbie Dolan comfortably making the weight.
"As we know weight can stop trains and some of these mares have to carry a bit of weight,'' he said.
"If you ever have to have a distance change, a mile back to 1400m is probably the best. You've got a horse that's fit and I think 1400m is her pet distance."
He expects Startantes, $9.50 with TAB on Thursday, to settle a fair bit closer in The Invitation than where she found herself in the Flight Stakes where the speed kicked up underneath her.
It'll be a different scenario, according to Heathcote, with a lot of the speed on Saturday drawn outside her.
"I don't think she has to be back near last, in her two Sydney runs she's had to go back,'' he said.
"She had (barrier) six in the Flight Stakes but she had four horses inside her and couldn't get in so Sam (Clipperton) had to keep going back until he got in.
"She is a genuine chance. I think we will be somewhere there at the finish, in the top four of five."
It's likely the filly will return to Sydney in the autumn for the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) and the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m).
Stablemate Emerald Kingdom has slipped into Sydney and Heathcote warns he is set to peak in the Robrick Lodge Filante Handicap (1400m), a race he's been targeting.
The seven-year-old beat multiple Group 1 winner Tofane during the Brisbane winner and was run down by Golden Eagle aspirant Apache Chase when he resumed two weeks ago.
Heathcote said there significant improvement in Emerald Kingdom, $3.30 with TAB on Thursday, and the horse will give a bold account.
"I knew going into that first race he would be soft and vulnerable,'' he said.
"My goal was this race coming up, his second-up record is far superior than his first-up record.
"You can't push this horse, just let the horse be where he's happy. It might take him 200m to get across but once he's there if he comes back under Tim (Clark) he will be hard to beat."
