‘It's like Hollywood made this up': Rob Heathcote says Stradbroke win with Rothfire would top everything he has achieved
Rob Heathcote was once almost convinced he had lost Rothfire, but says it's now like 'Hollywood made this up' as his remarkable warrior horse fronts up for a $3m Stradbroke Handicap miracle.
The Rothfire story has had exhilarating highs and devastating lows.
In 2020, Heathcote feared that not only Rothfire's racing career was over, but his life was about to come to a tragic end.
Group 1 champion Rothfire fractured his leg in the running of the Group 1 Golden Rose in Sydney, then somehow staging an incredible survival story and also returning to race at the elite level.
Five years later Rothfire has overcome adversity again when an injury to his hoof looked like derailing his Group 1 Stradbroke mission.
But he has defied the odds again – just like he did in 2020 when a devastated Heathcote feared the worst.
'I was resigned to having to euthanise Rothfire, when they told me that he had fractured his sesamoid,' Heathcote recalls.
'I have had horses in the past who have fractured their sesamoid and, sadly, we have had to put them down.
'I thought we were going to lose Rothfire.
'But testimony to the courage of the horse, when he fractured his sesamoid, with 200m to the winning post, he still ran fourth that day.
'It's not like he faltered and thought he was stuffed.
'He still kept going to the line, which was amazing.
'To not only survive, but to then come back and be fit enough to race and compete at Group 1 level is simply extraordinary.'
• 'I won't be backing him': Owner questions Stradbroke favourite's odds
Rothfire – the Thriller From Chinchilla who has captured the imagination of the Australian racing public – turned in one of the best performances of his career when only just being pipped by Sunshine In Paris and James McDonald in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 on May 17.
But then trouble struck and Heathcote was almost certain his evergreen champion would not be able to take his place in the Stradbroke after a foot infection flared.
Incredibly, Rothfire is now on track to line up in Queensland's greatest race and champion jockey James McDonald, who narrowly beat him last time, is booked to ride.
You would think it would be impossible for Heathcote to top winning seven Group 1s – including one overseas in Dubai – with his legendary former sprint champion Buffering.
But he says if Rothfire could win at his third attempt at a Stradbroke, after finishing runner-up in 2023 and third in 2022, it would be his greatest moment in racing.
• Waller: J-Mac can be greatest jockey of all time
'It's kind of like Hollywood made this up,' Heathcote said.
'He had a foot problem after getting beaten in the last stride by the favourite and the number one jockey in the world in the Doomben 10,000.
'And then to defy the odds, after the vet said only eight days ago he's not going to make the Stradbroke, it's amazing.
'Here he is and he's now into $15 to win the Stradbroke.
'If he could win, without a doubt, it would top everything and be my greatest moment in racing.
'And that is simply because of Rothfire story and the horse that he is.
'The challenges that this horse has faced is not something I take lightly when I call him the miracle horse.
'You can end up with egg on your face, but I just know this horse is not going to let me down.
'He just won't.'
• Lloyd eyes sibling Group 1 success on Stradbroke day
As for tactics from barrier 17 – and with many speedy horses drawn out wide – Heathcote says he will just simply leave it to McDonald to work out.
McDonald was the party pooper for Rothfire in the Doomben 10,000 but Heathcote is hoping an ace ride can kickstart an almighty party on Stradbroke day.
'I've got J-Mac on, it's as simple as that,' Heathcote said.
'There's your answer.
'He will look at the form and he will think ahead of some of the other riders, that's how good he is.
'I had one bloke who I respect tell me that I had just gained three lengths by putting J-Mac on Rothfire.'
Queensland Racing Integrity Commission vets on Friday morning cleared Rothfire to take his place in the Stradbroke.
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