Brilliant Rothfire scares off Coast rivals
Unbeaten two-year-old Rothfire will start a short-priced favourite in the $500,000 Jewel.
Brilliant two-year-old Rothfire has scared off many of his potential rivals, leaving the $500,000 Two-Year-Old Jewel without a capacity field for the first time.
The Jewel has been run under various names as a grand final for QTIS-eligible horses since Tinto won the inaugural race in 2013.
It has always attracted big fields as the fourth richest two-year-old race in Queensland.
Rothfire will start a short priced favourite on his undefeated run of four wins and will have only nine opponents on Saturday.
The gelding has won his past three starts by a combined 15 lengths.
The Gold Coast track was rated heavy on Wednesday after torrential rain on Tuesday bringing the seven-day total to 66mm.
Trainer Robert Heathcote makes no secret of the fact he has little luck at the Gold Coast but believes class will see Rothfire through no matter what the track.
“My best win at the Gold Coast was with Buffering the QTIS Magic Millions race and Rothfire is an exciting horse who like Buffering has been set for a big race,” he said.
Heathcote said wet or dry he was confident Rothfire was ready to race well.
It is likely to be the gelding’s last run as a two-year-old before having a break for the spring.
Heathcote has a strong chance of a feature race double on Saturday as he also has Guntantes in the Three-Year-Old Jewel.