Trainer Robert Heathcote has more than one reason to hope promising three-year-old Ziemba can win at the Sunshine Coast.
Ziemba will be joined by stablemates Stuttering and Mosshiki to give Heathcote a strong hand in Saturday’s QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1600m).
Heathcote has been the form Brisbane trainer since the start of the new year with nine winners and he has high hopes for Ziemba.
Ziemba is by Rothesay out of the Group Two winning mare Funtantes making him a three-quarter brother to Heathcote’s top class three-year-old Guntantes.
Funtantes is a daughter of wonderful producing broodmare Cantantes who is owned by Heathcote and his wife Vicky.
Apart from Funtantes, Cantantes has produced winners Excellantes, Guntantes, Rothfire, Notre Amour, Kingtantes, Khaptentes, Brilliantes, Remembering Frank and Alle Vongole.
Cantantes died last year and Heathcote would love Funtantes to take her place as a top class broodmare.
“Ziemba is the first of Funtantes’ foals to race because she slipped a couple and lost another one to a snake bite,” Heathcote said.
Ziemba was third at Eagle Farm at his most recent run and Heathcote believes he was not suited by racing close to the pace.
Heathcote is hoping Ziemba can measure up to some of the feature races in the winter carnival.
Mosshiki has been racing well in metropolitan races while Stuttering is stepping up from winning two recent provincial standard races at the Sunshine Coast.