Rob Heathcote seeks Everest consolation prize with Rothfire in Sydney Stakes at Randwick

The eight-year-old gelding has missed out competing in the world’s richest turf race three times because of untimely injuries and, as an emergency for the $20m blockbuster sprint at Randwick on Saturday, there’s a slight possibility he can still make the star-studded field.

But Heathcote is happy to see Rothfire running as a “genuine chance” in the $2m Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m), which is seen as the consolation race for those sprinters who miss out on an Everest slot, with champion jockey Zac Purton to ride.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Rothfire hasn’t appreciated the firm tracks during his Group 1 spring campaign in Melbourne, finishing ninth in the Moir Stakes (1000m) and then seventh in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) on a rock-hard surface.

“He was pretty much the confirmed runner for three Everests and here he is now, a very slight chance of getting another one. It’s unbelievable,” Heathcote said.

“But to be honest, I hope he runs in the Sydney Stakes and I hope it rains.”

If a horse is scratched from The Everest between now and Saturday, then the affected slot-holder can choose a replacement runner from the emergencies list and that new entrant will start from the scratched horse’s barrier.

• Opinion: Hayes and his horse deserve to win The Everest

The four emergencies for this year’s edition are Iowna Merc, Generosity, Rothfire and Golden Mile.

“Two years ago I was a chance of being in The Everest and he jarred up badly in the Manikato and I had to give him a long break,” Heathcote recalled about Rothfire.

“But this time he looked after himself a bit. Even Nash (Rawiller) came in after the Manikato and said ‘your horse is flying mate, the track was just too hard’.

“I watched his gallop at Flemington (on Tuesday) and he looks a million bucks.

“He’s a genuine chance in the Sydney Stakes, it’s as simple as that.”

Bookmakers on Wednesday posted Rothfire as a $13 hope in the Sydney Stakes behind warm favourite Generosity ($3.40), Ostraka ($7), Golden Mile ($8) and Caballus ($9.50).

Undoubtedly, the most heartbreaking missed Everest opportunity for Heathcote and connections came in 2020 when Rothfire fractured a sesamoid while finishing fourth in the Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

The 2020 JJ Atkins champion had already been selected by miRunners as its slot-holder for The Everest but instead he spent the next 12 months recovering from the career-threatening injury.

• Everest emotions overflow: ‘Mike would be drinking a Pinot up there’

The “Thriller from Chinchilla” has since continued to defy the doubters, only narrowly going down to Sunshine In Paris in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May and earning more than $3.5m in prizemoney from 37 races (10 wins).

Meanwhile, Heathcote said the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield this Saturday was the “perfect race” for his ultra-consistent mare Abounding.

“Blake Shinn rode her in trackwork on Tuesday and was glowing in his comments to me about her,” Heathcote said.

“He said ‘she’ll go close to winning and it’ll be only bad luck or bad circumstances that will cost her’ like what happened in the Let’s Elope at Flemington (third) and the Stocks Stakes (second) at Moonee Valley.”

Originally published as Rob Heathcote seeks Everest consolation prize with Rothfire in Sydney Stakes at Randwick