The Greek tourist island of Mykonos has had its fair share of parties, but never before has it hosted a Stradbroke Handicap after-party for a winning trainer.
Eagle Farm trainer Rob Heathcote will this week jet off to Greece for a summer holiday as his charge Prince Of Boom prepares to tackle the $3m Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
The lightweight hope is one of just two Queensland horses in the race, with Heathcote saying he will be happy to party in Mykonos rather than Brisbane if he is able to break his Stradbroke curse.
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The trainer has run second three times as the race he loves the most continues to elude him.
While some trainers have their superstitions when it comes to watching their horses, Heathcote reckons he will have the best vantage point in the world at about 9am Greece time on Saturday.
“I will be in Mykonos, Greece,” he said.
“There are 12 of us going from the golf club for a week, we are celebrating a friend’s 50th birthday over there.
“Even though the Stradbroke is near and dear to me, I have run second in it three times, third fourth and fifth and I’d love to win it – sometimes your friends take a little bit more importance.”
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Prince Of Boom was once considered a mad on-speed galloper, however Heathcote says he has matured into a horse capable of running out a trip with age.
Following a big run in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m), the veteran trainer says he is happy to test him over 1400m in the Stradbroke.
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“I was very close to running him last year but there was a massive question mark over him running out the 1400m,” he said.
“His run in the BRC Sprint was huge. I put it to the connections and said the question is simple: do you want to run in the Stradbroke or go for something easier?
“They voted on it and said let’s run in the Straddie.
“He has shown me he has a bit more substance than being the speedster he has been for the last few years.
“He has 52.5kg, he is as good a 50-1 chance as I have seen in the race.
“He is a local horse with more than $1m in the bank, he deserves his crack at it.”
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Originally published as Stradbroke Handicap trainer Rob Heathcote to miss $3m Group 1