Racing
Eagle Farm Saturday: Heathcote hoping for change of luck with barriers
Trainer Rob Heathcote is hoping the law of averages can end a barrier draw curse for Abounding ahead her bid to claim the final Group 1 of the season in the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
"I've had my worst year of bad barriers in my entire career since I first started training in 1997," said Rob Heathcote.
Statistics back-up Heathcote's assessment with Abounding who has jumped from double figure barriers in her last seven appearances.
She was an eye-catching fourth from barrier 16 behind Bella Nipotina in last year's Tatt's Tiara before resuming to win the Tatt's Classic from barrier 10 in November last year.
Since then, Abounding hasn't drawn inside gate 12 when sixth (Listed Nudgee), 13th in the Magic Millions Cup, 10th (Victory Stakes), sixth (BRC Sprint) and 12th in the Dane Ripper.
"The best run of Abounding's career was in last year's Tatt's Tiara when she ran fourth from barrier 16 and the winner Bella Nipotina went on to win The Everest in Sydney," Heathcote said.
"Since then, she has never drawn a decent barrier and none were inside double figures.
"She's been racing well but she just needs some luck with a decent barrier as her draws have forced the way we've had to ride her."
Prior to the Tatt's Tiara draw, Heathcote remained upbeat about the four-year-old's prospects in the Tatt's Tiara.
Abounding, winner of the Magic Millions Guineas as a three-year-old last season, is coming off a fast finishing sixth to the Tony Gollan-trained Floozie in the Group 2 Dane Ripper at Eagle Farm on June 14.
"If she can draw a good barrier, she's a good chance," Heathcote said.
"She's been racing so well she deserves to win a big race and she might get her chance to go south to Melbourne with Rothfire in the spring."
A winner of 16 Group 1's, Heathcote hasn't had the fire power this winter other than with stable star Rothfire to add to his tally of winners at the highest level.
Rothfire finished second in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 before a brave seventh in the Group 1 Stradbroke won by Victorian War Machine.
Rothfire overcame adversity to make the Stradbroke field after suffering a stone bruise 10 days before Queensland's glamour sprint.
"He ran a great race in the 10,000 and his run in the Stradbroke was outstanding but the track was too hard," Heathcote said.
"I think Abounding would make a great travelling companion with Rothfire in the south."
Heathcote, who is battling a bout of 'flu, jets off to Canada for his annual two-week break early next month.
"I haven't been to Canada since I was in my 20's ,so we're taking the opportunity to go there this year to visit some friends," he said.
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