Perfect pairing creates double for Heathcote and Scriven

Stablemates Athena’s Gift and Lodging battle it out

It was the Robert Heathcote and Shane Scriven show at City Pacific Doomben when the pair picked up a double on Saturday, August 25.

The day proved very successful for Heathcote after also having a winning runner at the Gold Coast. “Three wins, two seconds, a third, a fourth and a fifth,” said Heathcote.

“It was a good day. I had a good day at the Gold Coast too. It’s nice when it comes off like that.”

The first win in the Bluescope Lysaght 3YO QTIS Handicap 1615m was even greater for Heathcote who also claimed the quinella.

Ridden by Scriven from the outside barrier six, Athena’s Gift ran around them to get a clear lead. Lodging (Eddie Wilkinson) moved up to join him heading to the home turn but Athena’s Gift (G3 Hurricane Sky-Foscat) moved up a gear to beat his stablemate and $2.15 race favourite Lodging by a long head.

Cayman Islands (Matthew Morris) placed third by two and a half lengths.

It was the first win for the gelding but he had shown plenty of promise leading in with two seconds and a third to his name.

“It was a good win, considering the race was really a maiden,” said Scriven.

“He had very good maiden form going into it.”

It was all smiles in the My Limit camp with another win (Noel Pascoe photos)

“Robbie said to both Eddie and I walking out I don’t care which one of you win as long as you come back one-two.”

“I told him we’d organised it at the furlong and luckily I was able to stave him off.”

Scriven believes Lodging could be looking for more distance because of his breeding and Athena’s Gift is very green but with potential. “He has no idea what he’s doing. He could be a nice horse in the making,” he said.

Heathcote described Athena’s Gift’s win as very pleasing. “It gave us a lot of pleasure too because the owner bred the horse out of a mare that I used to train when I first started training. A mare called Foscat so it was very pleasing and gave us a lot of personal satisfaction to train her,” he said.

Athena’s Gift was bred and is owned by John Brunton.

Heathcote believes the mile will suit Athena’s Gift especially as he continues to race. The win came just 10 days after the gelding placed third at Eagle Farm.

“I have to admit to being a little apprehensive prior to the race because he was second up over a mile. But what certainly advantaged Athena’s Gift was the fact that the jockey was able to slow the field down and even though the distance was a mile race it was basically run like a 1350/1400m race where they walked to the 600m and then when the sprint came my horse was advantaged because he is quite a talented galloper,” Heathcote said.

“The tempo of the race was pretty steady.

“Lodging in his previous runs had been ridden back a little bit. But circumstances permitted us to be both up there running one two and basically that’s how they finished. There wasn’t a lot between them at the end of the race. They’re both very very nice horses.”

The second win for the pair came in the Rhino Finance Class 6 4YO & Up Handicap 1615m with My Limit (G4 Show a Heart-Wabble). Racing in the colours of his sire, My Limit has proved an honest horse picking up prizemoney in the majority of his starts.

My Limit travelled second last from the jump and still sat back there with 400m to go. Scriven wound him up in the straight and they flew home to take the win one and a quarter lengths in front of Line By Line (Bobby El-Issa) with Punch Up (Brad Pengelly) third by a short head.

Racing so far back certainly had connections worried for a while there.

“I was sitting in the grandstand nearby the owners and we sort of looked at each other and went my god we’re a long way back but the leader looked like he was flying along and generally when you have a really hot tempo like that it gives the back makers there chance to run home,” said Heathcote.

“What particularly pleased me about My Limit was the fact that coming around the home turn he kind of got to the lead effortlessly.

“He did it so quickly in a matter of six or seven strides which was unusual and he looked very impressive.

“To be perfectly honest he probably went across the line with a still a little in the tank because the jockey looked like he eased up a little bit.

“I don’t know if it was a particularly fast time but at the end of the day it was an impressive win and that’s two wins and a third from his three runs back from the Derby.

“Obviously he’s in a purple patch and we’ll go forward with him and race him again next week in a nice QTIS race.”

Heathcote was very happy in his choice of jockey to accompany him on the double.

“There’s no doubt that Shane’s probably riding in as good a form as he’s ever ridden in his life,” he said.

“He’s clearly one of Queensland’s best riders and I was very happy to have him on riding in the form he’s in.”

QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Hollie Roberts – August 25