Woorim Bound For Melbourne
- Sunday, 28 August 2011 07:15
Trainer Rob Heathcote could send Woorim straight to Melbourne after the gelding missed his planned comeback at Doomben on Saturday.
Woorim was set to resume in the Channel Seven Handicap (1200m) ahead of an ambitious spring campaign.
Riders were preparing to mount when stewards summoned them to canvas their views about track safety and visibility after concerns were raised earlier by a jockeys' delegation.
The final two races were eventually abandoned.
The meeting's fate came in the aftermath of the Bruce Thomas Lawyers Handicap (1010m) in which winner Belletrist snapped a front leg before being pulled up by apprentice Mitchell Wood.
Belletrist was put down after the incident.
Heathcote was not concerned Woorim missed his comeback run as he had his own concerns with him resuming on a heavy track.
"I think the stewards did the right thing to call the meeting off," Heathcote said.
"It won't worry me too much as Woorim can go straight to Melbourne now and run at Moonee Valley on Saturday week."
The other option is to run the horse at Eagle Farm on Saturday with an extra race added to the program.
Woorim hasn't raced since scoring his second successive win in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at Caloundra on July 6.
The son of Show A Heart previously finished seventh to Sincero in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in June after claiming the Group Three BRC Sprint at Doomben in May.
The Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield will be Woorim's primary goal in the south but Heathcote is also considering the Group One Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in November.
Woorim went close to fulfilling Heathcote's dream of claiming his first win at elite level when the six-year-old flashed home for third to Response in last year's Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
Woorim's stablemate Funtantes also missed her comeback when the Channel Seven Handicap was abandoned.
Heathcote said Funtantes would remain in Brisbane and start at Doomben on Saturday week which would decide if she joined his Melbourne team.
Funtantes will be directed to black-type fillies and mares races if she earns an interstate trip.
Last campaign Funtantes won the Listed Juanmo Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm in April before failing in the Listed Silk Stocking at the Gold Coast and Group Three Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben in May.
