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Classy Queensland sprinter Woorim kicks off his Doncaster Handicap campaign in the Oakleigh Plate on Saturday, but trainer Robert Heathcote knows his quest to land an elusive Group One triumph probably won't gather momentum until the autumn.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The six-year-old swooper, who rocketed home from the back on Victoria Derby day at Flemington for his most recent win, takes on Sepoy and Bel Sprinter this weekend over 1100m and will most likely find the journey too short.
But it's only step one in Woorim's Doncaster journey, which also includes the Newmarket Handicap (1200m), and Heathcote was hopeful his horse was on the verge of a lucrative autumn.
“Look, 1100m is probably too short,” Heathcote said of his Oakleigh Plate chances.
“You're probably going to see Sepoy and Bel Sprinter up there on the speed but hopefully someone else takes them on and the swoopers have their chance because that's exactly what Woorim is, a very talented swooper.
“He'll go to the Newmarket and then he'll come back up to Sydney for the [George] Ryder and that's the lead in to the Doncaster.”
Heathcote has won the last three trainers' premierships in Queensland, but is still searching for his maiden Group One victory.
Buffering tried gamely when third in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday, but was really only part of the sideshow around Black Caviar and to a lesser extant Hay List.
It was the third time Buffering had finished behind Black Caviar at Group One level and the second time he'd followed a Black Caviar-Hay List quinella across the line.
Neither sprint champion is in action this weekend, but Heathcote does happen to bump into Peter Snowden superstar Sepoy.
“Sepoy, and Bel Sprinter and they look like they're both exceptionally talented as well, and whether they're champions in their own right it's hard to say,” Heathcote said.
“You've got to be in it to win it.”