Robert Heathcote sat down in his office on Sunday with a bottle of Penfolds 407 and started to answer his text messages and emails.
It had been a long 24 hours since Rothfire had won the Doomben 10,000 completing a 2169-day gap between his first and second Group 1 wins.
But even that time gap doesn’t reflect the scope of racing story.
“People asked why I didn’t have a nice red on Saturday night. The reason was adrenaline,” Heathcote explained.
“You get it when you win a Group 1, but this is completely different, it’s another level.”
“I went to the Breaky Creek for a beer with Tony Gollan [on Sunday] and I was still buzzing.”
”I came back to the stable and started to answer more 200 messages I got, some from people I don’t even know.”
“I will get back to everyone personally. It’s amazing how big this win is.”
Heathcote had hardly slept, such was the hit Rothfire had given him.
“I was at the stable at 4.30am because I couldn’t sleep,” he continued. “I finally went home and had a nap at 10am, but it’s a great feeling.”
For Heathcote, it was everything about the story.
Not just the eight-year-old Rothfire, who won a JJ Atkins as a two-year-old in front of no one because of COVID. A serious injury when a beaten favourite in the Golden Rose had threatened his career. And he had been on the verge of retirement up to a half dozen other times.
His jockey Brad Rawiller must have thought Group 1 racing had passed him by.
“I have seen the photos of Nash running out to lead Brad on Rothy,” Heathcote said. “What a great story, Nash ran second on him in a Stradbroke, but he was there for his brother.”
“It was great to see that and to get Brad back as Group 1 winner as well”
The bond between the brothers was a surprise to Heathcote because he didn’t see it until Saturday night. It was made more special as he mourned the loss of his own brother, Wayne, at the beginning of the month, who got him into training.
It’s a career that Heathcote made his own. He produced another people’s hero, Buffering, who as an 18-year-old still has a home in his stable.
Buffering ran into Black Caviar, Chautauqua, Hay List and Lankan Rupee taking until his 18th Group 1 appearance to win his first, eventually winning seven at the top level.
“Buff used to get his fan mail too, but it is not like this. These old sprinters everyone gets to know them and love them,” Heathcote said.
“I came home on Saturday and got Buffering out his box and got a photo of the two of them together in the JJ and Doomben 10,000 rugs.”
“I knew when to retire Buffering and this bloke will be the same.”
“He could have been finished at three and a couple of years we came close to doing it, but I felt he had more to give.”
“He has won two major races and $3 million since then. He is just a special horse.”
Rothfire will front up in the Kingsford Smith Stakes in a couple of weeks, but Heathcote knows the time is coming for him to finish.
“He likes Eagle Farm and with the rain around he could do it again,” Heathcote said.
“I’m not setting a date for him to retire because you just know. With Buffering it came after the Manikato, Damian Browne just gave me a wink when they came back and that was it.”
“It will be the same with Rothfire, we will sense it.”
“It would be great to go out on a high with that 10,000 win, but he is a racehorse and while he’s fit and well, he’s not finished just yet.”
