Steady day wih Perth good to us again

Doomben has been abandoned due to non stop rain and an unusable track. Port Lincoln is a no go zone so the early ratings are up for Ascot,Canterbury and Sandown Lakeside. Good luck

A great days racing and a very good result with 12 big winners and 16 trifectas. Sensational performance by Miracles of Life made the dream come true for all South Australians. Exhilirating ride, Lauren you are a star.

Tough day for Jimmy Taylor and Barakey, there is nothing worse than travelling from WA with high expectations only to see your horse get scratched at the barrier.

Interesting stewards inquiry with Adam Durrante and Mr Moet to pan out over the next week. He is only using Chinese medecine because it's Chinese new year isn't he?

Hope you got amongst the winners.

What a great days racing with the Blue Diamond at Caulfield heading the card.

A couple of Perth horses step out at Caulfield and although Mr Moet's form reads well I have some concerns at his second up form where from 5 attempts he has only managed a place. Maybe his race will be at his next start although I do expect him to run second today. The other concern for me is that stepping up from 1400 to 1700 is not easy.

Barakey should also do very well and I expect he will get the run of the race and is right up to this field. A very good judge rates the field in this years Oakleigh Plate as at the best a G2 race and if thats the case Barakey is a stand out and you know the Victorian books will let you get on if you fancy him. If Jim Taylor is right and the horse is an equal to Hay List it makes it a certainty. Keep your cool Jason and you will get the cash.The lightly weighted Shamal Wind is the only danger.

The Blue Diamond for me is another stand out in Miracles of Life but there will be plenty of pressure put on the jockey in this race from barrier 1. Take a first four 8/9/10/11 boxed.

Best of the day

Barakey

Miracles of Life

My other specials include Fiveandahalfstar and All to Hard but they will be short so take an all up.

Best roughie today is PR8/2 Rons Gem at 100/1

Early Specials are-

MR 4/1 Fiveandahalfstar

MR 6/10 All too Hard

AR 4/1 La Moullin Rouge

Steady day for winners but an amazing day for trifecta's at 50%. Race 3 at Doomben at $716 and Wyong race 6 at $579 were the best of them. The Tri's have been running hot fo some time.

Best for the day is an each way value bet MR 7/10 Yahilu

Best Bet is SR 4/3 Prince Rahy

Very average day although trifectas and first fours were OK. Sadly our specials let us down. Hope you survived.

Perth scratchings have now been included

Looking forward to Black Caviars returns in Melbourne. Nice to see some of the good horses returning in a big days racing. Top fields in Perth , Sydney and Mebourne.

Lets hope our form from Wednesday continues today.

Best of the day

PR 2/4 Roman Knows

PR 5/10 Passion Catata

SR 2/2 Red Tracer

For the ladies 2 each way bets

PR 8/11 Sax on the Beach

BR 3/7 Vintage Flint

Wouldn't mind a result like this every week. Huge day all round, top raters, Trifectas, First Fours, and 2 specials for 2 winners and both won like good things. Hope you cleaned up

update from the stable on todays each way chance

HORSE REPORT: Namsarai

Good Afternoon,

Namsarai is running tomorrow at Canterbury in Race 5 @ 3.40pm. He does appear a little big in condition still but with the rain around this will certainly help his chances. He has drawn awkwardly in barrier 9 with Christian Reith aboard and providing there is good pace up front he will be ridden back in the field from the alley. I rate him a genuine each way chance tomorrow with improvement to come off the run.

Kind Regards

Lees Racing

Tough at Mornington and Slow 7 at Canterbury

Only 2 specials today

SR3/1 Hippopus

MR 6/9 Twilight Royale

Pretty good day and weekend. Started horribly on Saturday but what an amazing transformation half way through the card where we found 7 winners from 8 successive races. Bonanza!

Special race 2 Gosford no 10 De Crillon

ROB'S SHOUT - I WAS REALLY CHUFFED WHEN TWO OF MY STABLE FAVOURITES SALUTED LAST SATURDAY

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, February 7, 2013

Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO.

Hello to you all once again.

Yes, it has been another very busy week but it is has certainly been made easier with the stable getting some winners and, in the main, most of our horses performing well on the racetrack.

I was quite chuffed last Saturday when two of my long time stable favourites both saluted.

Funtantes has been one of my favourites from day one. Not only is she a talented racehorse who gave me my first Group 2 race as a trainer, but she gives her best each and every time she races and she has the most beautiful nature you will ever find in a race mare!

She has had her share of soundness issues with a few battles with injuries over her career but it gave me immense satisfaction to see her bounce back and win another stakes race last Saturday which has taken her career earnings to over $620,000 bucks. What more can we ask of her?

Her dam, Cantantes is owned by my wife so the entire family of this mare have brought us, and the connections involved, an enormous amount of pleasure … with hopefully more to come.

I have now discovered that Funtantes races best when kept nice and fresh so I have popped her out to Washpool Lodge for a week of light work after her win. She will come back in and race next in another Listed Quality at Eagle Farm on Saturday the 23rd February. That looks to be another nice race for her.

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Gundy Son has been out of the winner’s enclosure for quite some time but the connections and I have never lost faith in him.

He went to Melbourne about 18 months ago for a race on Melbourne Cup day and I reckon he got a bug/virus, or the like, and it’s taken for ever for him to get over it.

This prep he has looked the best he has looked since that trip away and, with a couple of strong closing seconds of late, including one in the $400 000 Magic Millions Cup, the horse was telling us he was ready to once again step up to the plate and notch up another win … which he did in great style.

A point I would also like to make and this is directed to all the experts out there in la la land who profess to being geniuses in this racing business.

As horses progress through their grades it will always get progressively harder and harder for horses to keep winning races and that is the reason many horses then have more lengthy periods out of the winners stall.

It means that the tougher the racing becomes, especially when horses do get to open company, the more important the vital ingredients of the race set-up becomes until it reaches a stage where most horses have to tick most boxes to be able to get over the line.

For example, they need the right barrier, right track conditions, a tempo that suits, the right weight and a good ride with perfect timing to win. Often it is not possible to get all the ‘stars to line up’ at the one time hence the reason why it does become harder to win as the class of races gets better.

No, I am not referring to the stars of the turf because they are often good enough to overcome bad luck even with things not going their way, but I am referring to your average racehorse that goes around each and every Saturday.

As a trainer, I look at it purely from a training perspective and not so much through a punter’s eyes. I tend to focus on having the horse right, having the horse in the right class and grade where it is best suited. At times this is not possible due to programming and so I sometimes have to race the horses in the available races as they are programmed.

There will always be so many variables in racing. Many of these are often out of our control which is why punting on racehorses is called ‘gambling’. If it were an exact science, yes, we would all be rich but fundamentally racing wouldn’t work if it were all as simple as every odds-on favourite winning every time it started.

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Wednesday was another satisfying day at the races for the stable with a new-comer saluting at her second race start for us.

Kuchinskaya has headed north to us in search of the QTIS offerings and thankfully Racing Queensland re-scheduled the washed out three-year-old race to the mid-week Doomben program. It was a quality field of three-year-olds as invariably these races are week in and week out.

Jeff Lloyd scooted my filly to the lead and she was never headed for a strong win for prominent owners Greg and Lisa Perry from NSW. On the strength of that win, fair to suggest that there will be more wins in store for her!

The $53 grand first prize is excellent prize-money in anyone’s language so very encouraging to get horses travelling to our jurisdiction to race as opposed to those heading south as we often see!

Punters Pride ran up to his good recent form of two second placings for his maiden win and the day was rounded out with good runs from Pinespun, Vacallo and Bewhatyouwannabe all picking up third placings.

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Last Saturday saw the return to the racetrack of our stable star Woorim as he had an exhibition track gallop between races with a stable mate. Do ya think that’s got the adrenalin pumping a bit?

He has come back after a bit of an enforced break which maybe has been a blessing in disguise!

He whacked his leg way back in August and this caused a bit of bruising to a tendon. Subsequent scans revealed no fibrous damage but a bit of heat and swelling meant he needed to stop work so we ruled out the spring and decided on a lengthy break.

This has also allowed his hooves to grow as much as possible and I am now confident enough to say his troublesome feet are in the best shape they have been for the past few years.

His exhibition gallop was first class and Damian Browne got off him with a beaming smile. He said Woorim felt the best he’s felt since he won last year’s Oakleigh Plate. Awesome stuff!

I will give him another gallop between races this Saturday and quite possibly the following Saturday as well. The work is not high intensity in these gallops but he switches on better in front of a crowd and it’s a training program that has worked successfully in the past. If it ain’t broken …

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A few have asked me about his exhibition galloping partner. His name is St Andrews. He raced at the Sunshine Coast on Thursday and won nicely on his debut for us. We have a nice opinion of the horse and whilst he is still green and, as Brownie said, “quite raw”, I do think there is a fair bit of talent with in this race horse.

He races in the same colours as our Group 1 star Solzhenitsyn so, whilst he has a very long way to go to match the feats of his stable mate, St Andrews is showing me some good things. It was good stuff to have quite a few of his new owners in the closure on Thursday for his maiden win on Aussie soil.

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It’s another busy day for the stable this Saturday with a few chances….Fingers crossed the weather is kind to us and Headquarters at the Farm races well.

Cheers and good health.

Robert 

Better tracks usually mean better results and with the start of the Autumn Carnival we are looking forward to the return of some superstars.

Todays specials are

SR 1/1 All the Talk (just remember its a 2yo race) 

BR 3/3 Achievements

BR 8/2 Longshoreman

PR 1/1 Walkover (just remember its a 2yo race)

Best each Way is

SR 4/12 Unimpeachable

Tidy Friday night for us wirh 5 winners and plenty of placings on what are notoriously tough nights. Trifectas were over 50% and a couple of nice first fours to top the night off.

Canterbury and Moonee Valley friday night meetings now posted on our site

Hard work but managed 8 on the day. The standard of racing at the moment is pretty ordinary but with Melbourne firing up this Saturday the good horses return and we wind up for a big February March.

Specials few and far between but we will go with the best BR6/2 Vacallo and the best each way PR5/5 Its a Merc

Disappointing day with only 7 winners and 1 of our 3 specials saluting. Trifectas and first fours were excellent but we needed more of those winners.

The each way bets for the ladies were OK with Barnsley Lad backed from 18/1 to 10/1 giving us a nice result.

Looking forward to a great days racing but heavy and slow tracks in Sydney and Brisbane have dissapated the fields up there.

Specials today and keeping them to a minimum based on recent results are-

SR 7/1 She's Clean

MR 2/10 Metastasion

MR 5/6 Elusive King

Today looks like a very nice day for each way value so as promised we have been looking for some chances that can give you a run for your money at each way odds.

Sydney

R1/8 Vergara Anthony Cummings has a 50% share in this 2 yo Filly which was going to be syndicated but he has decided to keep his share and the horse is heading for the Golden Slipper. If Anthony thinks it is up to Slipper class it must rate as a good each way chance.

R6/12 Angola. In a good field but up from Melbourne after winning a Ballarat maiden. What is he doing here if he is not a chance.

Perth

R1/5 Put Up Your Dukes

This is the first horse raced by the boys at Rand Transport all of them new owners bar a couple of victims and a few mates so it is an exciting day for us. The big fella is an outstanding individual by Duke of Marmalade who has had two very quiet trials, has worked well, is fit and looks a picture. He is still green as grass and has a terrible barrier but ridden like a good horse I think he can run home into a place at very nice odds. 1 win 3 places ratio for me. He will need luck in running from barrier 9.

R2/7 Swap Ya. Second to Grey Cheval and only a couple of lengths behind beating the rest of the field easily.

R3/4 Helda the Painter. Impressive winner last star although up in grade has a chance

R4/9 Timely Reign. Pretty open race this and this horse did run 3rd to Waterman Bay beaten 2.3l which is excellent form leading into this. Over the odds at $21

R5/8 Barnsley Lad. In good form and the winner Classique Ivory took his running last start.

R7/13 Mickey Drippin. This is the most interesting named horse in racing. Another one caught wide last start but kept finding the line.

R/7 Fort Courage 2.9L behind Belltane after sitting 3 wide in the run and kept finding the line

Good evening to you all once again. Well deja `vu once again with the likelihood of a rain affected track for the races tomorrow. The mail from Bill Shuck is if we get no further rain overnight, there is a strong likelihood we can get back onto a dead 5 track. Maybe even with some more sunshine we can be very optimistic and hope for a dead 4 track.  My stables chances do hinge on the improvement of the track. Very much so …fingers crossed no more bloody rain!

Show Affection is a lovely Show A Heart mare who’s racing in great form. She did win on a slow track but the rider did say that day that only her class got her home and she wasn’t comfortable on the shifty track? She will be the likely favourite so a word of caution. I do think she is the best horse in the race and her good 2^ndat the Magic Millions where she went down a nose is good enough to win this. The tracks the concern for me though!

Coworth Park in the 3^rdhas only had the 3 starts so it’s a huge step in class and grade for him. I loved the courage he showed at his last run and a repeat of that run will see him competitive I think. Not sure about the track for him but the mile should not pose any issues for him. He will be about 10 to 1 against the 2 fancies in Congo and Accidental. Not bad value if he copes with the conditions as I am happy with his work! His class may be a query also ?

Gundy Son in the 6^this far from his best on a wet track. The drier for him the better his chances! He has shown positive signs of returning to his best form with an excellent 2^ndat the Magic Millions also. He is a chance at about 5 or 6 bucks….

Funtantes in the fillies and mares feature race is always a chance as she invariably tries her heart out. She is again conceding plenty of weight to her rivals but she has the class. I have freshened her up as she goes best fresh. If Brownie can rate her well, she can give the race a decent shake. Currently $4.20 in the early markets isn’t bad value I reckon. Again, the track dries out and if she can step away well from the gates and get into her rhythm early, she can figure in the finish.

Smasher and Gotitallwrong line up in the 3 year old race number 9. It’s a tough open race with a host of chances as seen by the early market. Gotitallwrong has drawn the ace in barrier 1 so she should get a lovely run. She needs to race up to her best and she can certainly figure in the finish. Maybe the fence could be too hopped up at this stage of the day which is a worry.

Smasher is a real talent in the making but the outside gate could put paid to his chances. He will need a pearler from Michael Cahill and a lot of luck to get a good run. I do think he has the class to win but boy it is a big ask. Not sure about Smasher on a wettish track but Gotitallwrong has won on a slow track….

Gee, touch to label one of mine as a standout but I’d have to say Show Affection closely followed by Funtantes as the stables best 2 chances on the day but remember, if the showers come overnight, we might be up the creek without a paddle.

I have just come back from New Zealand where I picked up 3 yearlings. Two Darci Brahma colts and a Keeper colt. There are shares available to join me in racing these youngsters. You never know but they could be the future stars of the turf and there’s simply nothing like owning a piece of a winner eh and they are very affordable. You can take a small 5% share or get with a group and take a 10 or a 20 % share. I am confident in my selections that I will be staying in for a minimum of a 20/30 % share as well. It will be first in first served so get in touch with me asap to become a partner in any of them. You can view the details on the following link……

http://www.robertheathcoteracing.com.au/horses-available

Best of luck over the weekend and of course…good health. Cheers. Robert

A good mid week result although the specials continue to let us down.

Top Rated winners and Trifectas continue to return good results. Make sure you check "Our News" on Saturday morning for a couple of each way mail specials for this weekend at very nice odds.