By Glenn Davis
The Gillian Heinrich and Ben Rodgers training partnership is hopeful of continuing its recent good form with a dual pronged attack in the Class Four Handicap at the Sunshine Coast today.
The combination has been in excellent form training seven winners over the last two months.
Heinrich and Rodgers trained a winning double with Comic Story and Exactamente the last time they ventured to the Sunshine Coast on March 3.
It followed a similar double from On Show and Miss Amber at the Gold Coast the previous day and both mares are set to clash in the Class Four Handicap (1400m).
On Show and Miss Amber were entered for Eagle Farm on Saturday but both drew poorly and were scratched to concentre on the Sunshine Coast.
On Show has strung four successive wins together from five starts this campaign including a last start win on her home track at the Gold Coast on February 23.
Miss Amber also has been in great form and will be chasing a hat-trick of wins following her March 2 triumph.
Rodgers was reluctant to separate the pair but has a slight leaning to On Show.
“On paper On Show is the probably the stronger chance and I’m leaning slightly towards her,” Rodgers said.
“She’s probably coming towards the end of her preparation but she’s not showing it around the stable.
“They both should race very well but On Show has drawn the rails while Miss Amber has drawn a bit wider out but it won’t worry her as she gets back.”
Rodgers worked with Heinrich for five years as her stable foreman before joining in a training partnership with Heinrich when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer about three years ago.
Henrich has won her battle with the disease but rarely makes it to the track on race days.
“Gillian still comes to the track of a morning about three days a week but she prefers to stay at home and watch the races of television,” Rodgers said.
Heinrich is still regarded as one of the best trainers in Queensland despite having to scale back her operation while she underwent treatment in Germany.
Her big race wins include the 2010 Magic Millions Classic with Military Rose.
“When Gillian got sick, she had to cut back her team from around 65 in work to 30 but we’ve built the team up again lately to around 40 in work,” he said.
Racing Queensland webnews March 23