Hot Summer For Heathcote
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Our Lukas runs home for his second Black Type win |
The 2009 Queensland Summer Racing Carnival started off with a bang for leading
At the All Hallows’ Raceday on Saturday, November 14, Heathcote prepared Our Lukas for a win over the mile at Eagle Farm in the Listed Brisbane Handicap.
It was the six-year-old gelding’s first success this campaign after triumphing in the Listed Ipswich Cup during the Winter Carnival.
In his second Stakes win he was guided by Brad Pengelly from barrier one for another all-the-way win
The placegetters worked hard to try and catch the $4.60 race favourite but Secrets Untold (Stathi Katsidis) settled for second place, trailing by a length and a quarter.
Sam’s Express (Michael Cahill) caught up to Our Lukas at one stage, but he finished third by a short half head.
“I wanted to lead if I could,” explained Pengelly after the race. “It worked out well that way and I sort of let him stride a little bit then brought him back then he was able to relax each time I let him come back.
“I just had to go through those gears so to speak. Once he hit his top gear he was always going to be hard to get past because he’s very strong at the end.
“Full credit to him and full credit to Rob for placing him and you never know he might bob up in a nice race one day.”
Heathcote was happy to see Our Lukas win again over the mile. “He was third up, on a back-up, but I’d successfully back him up in the past and I thought with the rail out nine metres today I said to Brad ‘don’t hesitate mate, kick him from gate one’.
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My Limit produces a double for |
“His last couple of runs have been brilliant. They’ve been running home in 33.7 or 33.8. He can’t run that fast but over that distance he can run 34 neat and they’ve got to be pretty good to run him down.”
The Hendra trainer went one better the following week at Eagle Farm on Saturday, November 21 by posting a double.
Beartracker gave him his first win in the $75,000 Angrove Family Winemakers Handicap 2400m.
Back in the winner’s circle again, Jason Holder piloted the seven-year-old gelding to settle third from the jump. They moved out in the straight and got past Fort ‘n’ Won (Brad Pengelly) to win by a length.
Body Double (Jim Byrne) placed third by three quarters of a length.
Heathcote had set the galloper for this race early on and was pleased to see the plan come to fruition.
“I think when you look at this horse’s record, over the last couple of years he’s been very consistent. He’s been in the money over half of his starts and that was a good solid win and a nice ride from Jason,” he said.
“We’ve looked after him a little bit because you have a look at him, he’s a little on the light side, and he’s the type of horse that really only came into himself when he was a six-year-old. He’s probably got a couple of nice preparations left in him.”
The day was rounded out for the trainer in the last race where the first two past the post were Heathcote stablemates.
My Limit put in an impressive run in the QRU Handicap 1400m to win two and a quarter lengths in front of Tabulate (Jason Holder) with Pay Me (Vicky Schubert) a further long neck behind.
Stathi Katsidis picked up the ride on My Limit after Larry Cassidy became injured in race five.
“I just had a look through the form when I picked up the ride and he (My Limit) seemed a bit unlucky in his last start in a very slow run race,” said the winning hoop.
“Today with the speed on I just forced him to be a bit closer that he normally is as Rob Heathcote had asked me to which were quite good instructions and he was just bolting in the run.
“At the 300m when I popped out just to make sure I had a clear run he actually took off. I just sat against him as hard as I could until the 200m and he did the rest.
“He felt so good under me. I’m always one to sit back for as long as I can but he did that under his own steam. It was a marvellous effort and as Rob said he’ll be winning more races. He ran a sensational time.”
With a strong stable and last year’s premiership under his belt, one can’t but help to wonder the best may be yet to come for Heathcote this Summer Carnival.
