Heathcote Hints at Final Rothfire Gr1 Gunfight

The extraordinary journey of Rothfire may not be over just yet. Trainer Rob Heathcote has flagged a potential last-minute Stradbroke Handicap tilt, declaring the resilient gelding is “back in the game” after showing encouraging signs during a Monday workout. Expectations had dimmed that the “Thriller from Chinchilla” would recover from a foot infection in time for Queensland’s $3 million Group 1 feature this Saturday. But after observing his Group 1 winner’s return to trackwork, Heathcote now believes Rothfire is a realistic contender – if he pulls up well after Tuesday morning’s gallop and passes a vet inspection. “He will of course have to pass the scrutiny of vets, but from what we saw this morning, he will,” Heathcote said. “Rothfire was excellent this morning. He’s done a lot of swimming and he still has to come through his Tuesday morning gallop well, but from what we saw this morning, nothing is beyond this warrior horse. He is one tough horse.” Rothfire’s setback occurred after his stirring runner-up finish behind Sunshine In Paris in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (see below), when a minor foot flare-up disrupted his path toward the Stradbroke. Although Heathcote initially gave him only a “slim” chance of making a third appearance in the race, optimism has grown steadily in the past week. “The Doomben 10,000 run was worth a week of fitness work and the swimming he has been doing has kept him up to the mark,” he noted. “His courage will fill in the cracks.” While the gelding missed the Kingsford Smith Cup due to the setback, Heathcote doesn't see that absence as a major hurdle if Rothfire is cleared to run. No final call has been made on a Stradbroke start, with Tuesday’s trackwork set to determine whether Rothfire takes his place in the field. Currently at $34 in betting markets, the 7YO has drifted since injury concerns surfaced. A Group 1 winner as a 2YO in the JJ Atkins back in 2020, Rothfire has amassed nearly $3.5 million in earnings despite a career repeatedly interrupted by injury, including a fractured sesamoid that once threatened to end it altogether. If he makes it to the gates this Saturday, it will be yet another brave chapter in one of Australian racing’s most compelling stories.