By Glenn Davis
Talented filly Roasted can book herself a place in the $300,000 QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast next month with a strong performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Trainer Rob Heathcote has declared Roasted the best of his Eagle Farm team following her impressive all-the-way win against her own age at Eagle Farm on January 18.
The daughter of Rothesay has drawn the rails in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1200m).
“I was going to run her last week at Eagle Farm but it was over 1350 metres and she drew poorly so I decided to scratch and wait another week as she’s better suited over 1200 metres,” Heathcote said.
“I thought her last win was outstanding when she led all the way at Eagle Farm.
“If she can race well again and reproduce that effort, we’ll have a go at the QTIS Jewel.”
Roasted’s mother Princess Qualo, a daughter Of Sequalo, was trained by Heathcote and was a four times winner in 22 starts.
“I trained Princess Qualo for most of her career and she was a handy filly so it would be good if this filly can go on like her,” Heathcote said.
Heathcote has eight runners engaged and also expects Cool Chap in the Open Handicap (1600m) and Bellissimi Amici in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200m) to figure prominently.
Cool Chap is chasing his third straight win and is backing up following his easy win over 1840 metres at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
“Cool Chap has 60.5kgs which is a decent weight,” Heathcote said.
“It’s always a challenge backing-up and I considered claiming but Robbie Fradd is riding so well.
“I had the choice of Robbie or Ryan Maloney who won on him last week but I chose Robbie.”
Bellissimi Amici will take on stablemate Jellishot but Heathcote had little trouble choosing the former as his preference.
Bellissimi Amici finished fourth on debut behind the Desleigh Forster-trained Boom Spender at Doomben last month.
“It was a soft 6 at Doomben and I feel she’s improved and will be a lot better at Eagle Farm,” Heathcote said.
Bellissimi Amici is another daughter of Rothesay from the prolific broodmare Cantantes making her a full sister to stablemate Guntantes.
The Heathcote-trained Guntantes is one of the State’s top three-year-olds having won five of his 12 starts and is currently spelling ahead of a Brisbane winter campaign.
Cantantes was one of the State’s top broodmares before she had to be euthansed in 2018 after producing a string of winners including Guntantes.
Cantantes’ best performer was the Heathcote-trained Funtantes, who was a great money spinner winning 10 of her 50 starts including the Group 2 Champagne Classic and Listed wins in the Juanmo and Nudgee Stakes.
Racing Queensland webnews February 7