55 MOONEE VALLEY RACING CLUB 54 After another long spell to allow the horse to recover from his miracle comeback, Heathcote was confident to test the horse at the races again, this time at home in Queensland. “His first two runs were solid in good company, but when he ran fourth in the Kingsford Smith and then third in the Stradbroke, I knew we had him back,” he said. That confidence was justified when Rothfire resumed at The Valley in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes, blasting home to beat subsequent Group 1 winner Coolangatta who would then turn him over in unlucky circumstances in the Moir Stakes. Coolangatta looms as one of Rothfire’s main rivals again in the Manikato, but that won’t deter Heathcote from pushing on to a race he feels his horse is destined to win. “When I look back at what he’s been through, if he can win the Manikato, it will probably be the most satisfying moment of my career,” he said. “Physically, he will never be at his absolute best, but he’s got the same heart and the same will to win. He’s just got a half-flat tyre. I know I’d rather be training Rothfire just like that before plenty of other horses, that’s for sure.” Greg Childs leads Sunline to a dominant – and memorable – win in the 2000 Cox Plate #msc.signs #msc_electricalservices Sign Writing Vehicle Wraps Illuminated Design Project Management Exhibition Rebranding/Rollout Specialists Fast Bulk Orders Commercial Fitout Power Maintenance LED Lighting Upgrades Test & Tagging Exit and Emergency Testing and Repairs Lighting and Ceiling Fan Installation Residential Installations electrical@mscsigns.com.au #mscsigns MY FAVOURITE COX PLATE MEMORY I will never forget my first ever Cox Plate that I saw live in 2000. We jumped in the back of my mate’s VL Commodore and drove across town to The Valley. There was a massive crowd to see Sunline go for back-to-back Cox Plates. She was the crowd favourite. She was the punter’s pick. And we waded through the crowd to get a good spot at about the 100m on the fence. When the mare turned for home with that massive gap to Diatribe and Referral chasing, it was just an electric feeling and you knew you were witnessing something truly special.
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