Racing
Gold Coast Saturday: Heinrich's passion riding The Wave
Three times cancer survivor Gillian Heinrich looks at life differently these days but her love of racing has never faded.
In the year of the horse, Heinrich hopes to share the spoils with her training partner Ben Rodgers when five-year-old Pasima lines up in the $500,000 The Wave at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Heinrich celebrated one of her biggest victories of her career when Military Rose won the Magic Millions Classic in 2010.
However, Heinrich's world was turned upside down five years later when she was floored after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
But after surgery and hyperthermia therapy in Germany, Heinrich was given the all clear in August that year before she was diagnosed with a tumour on the lung two years later.
She again faced her cancer battle head on and won.
Her third bout came just before Covid arrived on our shores when cancer was found in her lymph nodes but again, she was given the all clear after a third visit to Germany for hyperthermia therapy.
During her battles, Heinrich had to rely on her close friend and former foreman Ben Rodgers who later joined forced with her in a training partnership while she underwent cancer treatment.
"I've known and worked with Ben for around 12 years," Heinrich said.
"He started as my foreman and took over our training when we went into a training partnership after I was diagnosed with cancer the first time.
"I'm 65 now and he'll eventually take over training the stable when I retire.
"He's such a good bloke and a lovely person."
Heinrich bought Pasima an at on-line auction and races the five-year-old entire with daughter, Tayla, 29.
The son of Pierro started his career with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and is now in his second campaign with Heinrich and Rodgers.
He recently completed his fourth straight win in a 1600-metre Benchmark race at Eagle Farm on December 20.
"He can't do much more than what he's done so far this campaign and we're hoping he's up to it for The Wave," Heinrich said.
"He's still a bull and has taken every step so far.
"It was a big effort to go from three provincials wins to winning in town last time and he's been running great times."
With Michael Rodd keen to maintain his association in the weight-for-age feature, Heinrich is hopeful a strong performance could see him chase Stakes races in the future.
"This will be his last run before he goes out for a break," she said.
"If he goes well, we're keen to look at some better races as he's a stud proposition.
"He could go to Sydney in the autumn for a Listed or Group race or we may wait for the winter carnival here."
Check out our FREE Interactive Speed Maps for meetings in nine countries each and every day.