Rothfire eyes Group 1 double

By Glenn Davis

It took trainer Robert Heathcote four years to end a frustrating Group 1 famine when old warrior Rothfire won the Doomben 10,000 earlier this month.

Now Heathcote hopes the wait won’t be as long for his next win at the highest level when Rothfire tackles the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300 metres at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The eight-year-old became the oldest horse in history to win the Doomben 10,000 and it came six years after his previous Group 1 win in the J.J. Atkins in 2020.

Since that famous success, Heathcote’s only other Group 1 triumph was with Startantes in the Tatt’s Tiara in 2022.

However, Heathcote was quick to point out near misses in last year’s Tatt’s Tiara with Abounding while Rothfire ran second in last year’s Doomben 10,000.

“Group 1s are hard to win, just ask Chris Waller,” Heathcote said.

“He’s won 200 of them and he’ll tell you just how hard they are to win.”

Heathcote, who has won 13 Group 1s, is hoping the forecast for rain this week will prevail.

“Rothfire pulled up well after the 10,000 and all I want is a good barrier and some rain," he said. 

“He’s going well and is ready to rock ‘n’ roll again.”

In the latest markets for the Kingsford Smith Cup, Rothfire is an $11 chance behind $3.50 favourite Jimmysstar, who rattled home from well back to finish fourth in the Doomben 10,000.

Rothfire’s longevity is evidenced by his attempt to win the Kingsford Smith Cup at his third attempt.

He finished fourth behind the Desleigh Forster-trained Apache Chase in 2022 and third to the Joe Pride-trained Think About It in the 2023 edition.

“He didn’t run in this race the last two years as I was aiming him for the Stradbroke at the time,” Heathcote said.

Heathcote has again warned that Rothfire is a day-to-day proposition in his twilight years.

“I never predict anything with this horse as he’s just a marvel,” Heathcote said.

“He’s been written off so many times in the past and he’s come back. He was written off last year and came back and won the $2 million Sydney Stakes at Randwick.”

Heathcote nominated Abounding for the Kingsford Smith Cup, but she’ll miss the race following her win in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on Saturday.

“Now that Abounding won the BRC Sprint, she’ll go straight into the Stradbroke and then the Tatt’s Tiara,” Heathcote said.

“They’re also Group 1s and to win a Group 1 is her goal.”