A remarkable return - Rothfire
The injuries that star Queensland sprinter Rothfire sustained in the 2020 Golden Rose could leave you to believe that he may never return to the races again – let alone recapture his best form. However, the son of Rothesay will this week face the starter nearly two years later to the day as one of the favoured runners in the Group 1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes.
The now five-year-old gelding went around as a dominant $1.55 favourite in that Golden Rose, and after working early to find the lead, he faltered in the home straight and fractured his sesamoid bone. Rothfire had to have bone fragments removed from that sesamoid – which trainer Robert Heathcote still carries around in a glass jar to remind himself of what a remarkable and collaborative effort it has taken to get his stable star back in work.
The “Thriller from Chinchilla” – expertly named by Queensland race caller Josh Fleming when Rothfire won the 2020 J.J Atkins – has shown glimpses of his former self after a remarkable return to racing. But it wasn’t until a fortnight ago here at The Valley that team Heathcote could rejoice in their hard work properly. Rothfire won the Group 2 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes that day, beating a smart field of sprinters, including fellow northerner Zoustyle, Two-Year-Old Magic Millions Classic winner Coolangatta and 2021 McEwen Stakes winner The Inferno.
“It was phenomenal. We were so ecstatic,” Heathcote Racing Manager Melanie Sharpe told us.
“One, to get back to the races… and then to get back into the winner’s stall.
“If you asked me when the injury happened, I never thought he’d even get back to that point. It’s quite remarkable and he’s a special horse.”
Rothfire was bought for just $10,000 and has already returned his legion of owners a hefty $1,320,875 in prizemoney. Not bad for a “weedy little colt” whose profile was initially on the stable website for months before eventually being snapped up by his now thankful owners.
Little would his ownership group know, but they had just inherited the best horse Robert Heathcote has had since mighty sprinter Buffering. Buffering loved The Valley like no other, with three Group wins coming in the Moir Stakes, the Manikato Stakes and the McEwen Stakes across 2011-2014.
Melanie continues, “Buffering obviously went overseas and won the Al Quoz Sprint over in Dubai, and you always wonder if Rothfire’s injury didn’t happen, where he possibly could’ve taken us.
“And he still probably can to some point, but it’s hard to put the two together. They’re totally different horses, even though they’re sprinters. They’re beautiful horses in their own right.”
At the close of acceptances on Wednesday morning this week, Rothfire stands as the $4.20 second elect on Ladbrokes to take out the Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes, narrowly shadowing gun Godolphin four-year-old Paulele.
He will again be partnered by star hoop Damian Lane on Friday night, and Melanie says a carbon copy of the McEwen, where conditions are likely to be similar, would be ideal.
“We’re hoping that they rip it up, we get a nice trail up there on the bunny, and we can pounce again.
“We’re just taking him as he comes each run. Hopefully, all being well after Friday, we have possibly the Schillaci, the Manikato, the Darley Sprint to consider. So it’s just taking it run by run.”
The Rothfire crew will be out in their droves this Friday night at The Valley in their famous pink and black, and we wish them all the best as their pride and joy takes aim at his second Group 1.