Heathcote hopeful of some belated Easter goodies

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Rob Heathcote is hopeful of giving punters a few belated Easter goodies when he heads to Ipswich with a team of six starters on Wednesday.

Heathcote - a five-time winner of the Brisbane trainers’ premiership – has declared The Big Goodbye as the stable’s best hope in the Benchmark 72 Handicap over 1100 metres.

The Big Goodbye, a Leah Kilner mount, hasn’t raced since early December when the four-year-old finished sixth to the Chris Munce-trained Palaisipan in a 1200 metre Benchmark 80 race at Ipswich.

A recent barrier trial win and his consistency has boosted Heathcote’s hopes that the former South Australian can notch up win number two in Queensland.

“He’s probably the best hope from our stable and his barrier trial win was super,” Heathcote said.

The Big Goodbye is raced by The Queensland Rogues, which is part of the Thoroughbred Racing League.

The Racing League is state-based in Queensland, NSW and Victoria with its Queensland members managed by National Rugby League great, Billy Slater.

“He’s been super consistent and has been a great asset for the Queensland Rogues,” Heathcote said.

“He won an Open Company trial at Doomben recently and went super.

“He’s got a fair bit of weight first-up but I’ve tried to counter that by booking my apprentice Leah Kilner who is in-form after coming back from breaking her ribs in a nasty track fall.

“He can race on the speed or take a sit if need be so I think he’s probably my best chance of the day.”

Heathcote also is confident of a strong showing from Hamlet Von Snitzel in the Benchmark 72 Handicap over 1100 metres,

“He’s a very good horse who I’m trying to get into a Three-Year-Old Plate at Eagle Farm in two weeks,” Heathcote said.

“He’s by Snitzel out of Shakespearean Lass so he’s very well named.”

Hamlet Von Snitzel was originally trained by Natalie McCall at the Sunshine Coast and made his debut for Heathcote finishing sixth to Enterprise Pomme at Eagle Farm on April 2.

“He only got beaten just over three lengths that day after copping a bad check and should have finished a lot closer,” he said.