JMac confirmed for Rothfire's incredible Stradbroke bid

[Pete Lane]

From Racenet:

James McDonald is set to ride Rothfire in the Stradbroke Handicap as Rob Heathcote declared his wonder horse was "back in the game" and a strong chance of winning a race against time to line up in Queensland's most prestigious race.

Hopes had been low that the "Thriller from Chinchilla" would recover from a foot injury in time to take his place in Saturday's $3m Stradbroke at Eagle Farm.

However, after working the Group 1 winner on Monday morning, Heathcote feels the courageous seven-year-old sprinter is now a decent chance of taking his place in the Stradbroke.

And Heathcote said "James McDonald is confirmed to ride" in the latest twist in an extraordinary tale.

Champion hoop McDonald sometimes has trouble netting a Stradbroke ride given the vast array of lightweights often in the field, but he will have no issue riding Rothfire at 55.5kg.

"Rothfire will of course have to pass the scrutiny of vets, but from what we saw this morning, he will," Heathcote said.

"Rothfire was excellent this morning.

"He's done a lot of swimming and he still has to come through his Tuesday morning gallop well, but from what we saw this morning, nothing is beyond this warrior horse.

"He is one tough horse."

The foot injury to Rothfire, which flared after he turned back the clock for an amazing runner-up finish behind Sunshine In Paris in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000, was only ever minor.

But Heathcote said last week that although the foot infection had broken, he had felt Rothfire remained only a "slim" chance of lining up in his third Stradbroke.

However, there is now a growing sense of optimism.

It is still far from ideal that Rothfire would be racing in a Stradbroke after missing a run in the Kingsford Smith Cup, but Heathcote said it wasn't a major issue.

"The Doomben 10,000 run was worth a week of fitness work and the swimming he has been doing has kept him up to the mark," he said.

"His courage will fill in the cracks."

Heathcote will not make a decision as to whether he accepts with Rothfire in the Stradbroke until after a Tuesday morning track work session.

Rothfire's odds in the Stradbroke have blown out since he has been under an injury cloud and he was a $34 chance on Monday morning.

But after Racenet revealed Rothfire was a likely starter, and McDonald had been confirmed for the ride, Rothfire firmed to be a $21 chance.

Rothfire became a Group 1 champion in 2020 when he won the JJ Atkins in his two-year-old season.

He has won close to $3.5m in prizemoney, despite suffering several major injury setbacks including a sesamoid fracture several years ago which had threatened to end his career.

[scooby3051]

Love this horse he has a heart as big as himself.

[scooby3051]

GROUP 1 STRADBROKE HANDICAP (1400m)
$3 million | Saturday, June 14, 2025
Horse | Barrier | Trainer | Jockey | Weight
1. PRIVATE EYE | 10 | Joe Pride | Nash Rawiller | 57kg
2. ROTHFIRE | 17 | Robert Heathcote | James McDonald | 55.5kg
3. DESERT LIGHTNING | 1 | Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman | Tommy Berry | 54.5kg
4. KIMOCHI | 14 | Gary Portelli | Craig Williams | 54kg
5. YELLOW BRICK | 8 | Tony & Maddysen Sears | Andrew Mallyon | 53.5kg
6. GOLDEN MILE | 2 | James Cummings | Jason Collett | 53.5kg
7. WAR MACHINE | 13 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Tim Clark | 53kg
8. PAYLINE | 7 | Chris & Corey Munce | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | 53kg
9. PUNCH LANE | 21 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Rachel King | 53kg
10. FRONT PAGE | 20 | Matthew Dale | Damien Thornton | 52.5kg
11. ROBUSTO | 19 | Bjorn Baker | Kerrin McEvoy | 52.5kg
12. FAR TOO EASY | 9 | David McColm | Regan Bayliss | 52.5kg
13. RISE AT DAWN | 3 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Declan Bates | 52.5kg
14. THE INSTRUCTOR | 12 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jett Stanley | 52kg
15. BOSUSTOW | 11 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Zac Lloyd | 51.5kg
16. THE INFLICTOR | 6 | Craig Cousins | Cejay Graham | 51kg
17. FIRESTORM | 16 | Chris Waller | Not Notified | 51kg
18. SPICY MARTINI | 4 | Toby Edmonds & Stephen McLean | Not Notified | 46.9kg
Emergencies
19e. COLEMAN | 23 | Chris Waller | Not Notified | 50kg
20e. TRANSATLANTIC | 22 | Tony Gollan | Not Notified | 51kg
21e. WATERFORD | 18 | Chris Waller | Not Notified | 51kg
22e. PIER | 15 | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | Mark Du Plessis | 51kg
23e. WARNIE | 5 | Ciaron Maher | Not Notified | 51kg

[sunlineboy]

Not the hottest Stradbroke field you'll ever see, but it makes for an open contest.

[jack]

War Machine.

[TurnyTom]

Private Eye

[richie]

I will have to go with one of my favourite all time horses ,and  Ashburton owned,not to mention it's my boss that owns it.

Desert Lightening who we know will try his guts out and might get an easy run from the draw

[Blaird]

Champion jockey James McDonald is battling illness but has vowed to do everything he can to ride at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

“I haven’t been feeling well since Wednesday,’’ McDonald said.

“I don’t know what it is, some sort of virus.

“But I’ll be doing my best to ride. I will be doing everything I can to be there.

“Put it this way, it would take a lot for me to miss a big day like Stradbroke day. I want to get there to ride in the first race and see how I go.’’

[meomy]

26 minutes ago, Blaird said:

Champion jockey James McDonald is battling illness but has vowed to do everything he can to ride at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

“I haven’t been feeling well since Wednesday,’’ McDonald said.

“I don’t know what it is, some sort of virus.

“But I’ll be doing my best to ride. I will be doing everything I can to be there.

“Put it this way, it would take a lot for me to miss a big day like Stradbroke day. I want to get there to ride in the first race and see how I go.’’

A tipple of whiskey usually help James if you are reading this, however keep it within limits.

[Peter R S]

Interview with Rob Heathcote on QLD TAB radio on Thursday morning - Tim Clark was booked for Rothfire but with the doubt over the foot abscess he switched to War Machine, RH said if James hadn’t been on the horse this weekend then there would have been more heard!