Carnival Plans For Hopfgarten In Disarray
- Wednesday, 22 April 2015 08:23
Trainer Robert Heathcote says he will be forced to scrap Doomben Cup plans for Hopfgarten after the gelding was made fourth emergency for the Hollindale Stakes.
Hopfgarten has a rating of 102 which is higher than that of four horses above him in Saturday's Group Two race at the Gold Coast.
However, the makeup of fields in Queensland is based on prize money won and Hopfgarten has banked the least of the 18 acceptors, relegating him to fourth emergency.
Hopfgarten has won four of his past eight starts but has been forced out of the Hollindale field by horses which have won Group One races up to three years ago.
Heathcote said he did not want to comment on the method used to determine fields in Queensland.
"That is just the way it is here and what can I say? But it does mean I will have to scrap Hopfgarten's Doomben Cup campaign," Heathcote said.
"We will see if we can find another way but unless there is a miracle he won't get a start on Saturday and that will be it for the Doomben Cup."
Heathcote will reassess Hopfgarten's winter carnival campaign after Saturday.
