Woorim staked his claim for Group 1 glory with a last-to-first victory in the G3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Trainer Robert Heathcote has always held a big opinion of Woorim and is quietly confident the gelding will provide him with a Group 1 first in the Stradbroke Hcp next month. “He’s got the best finish of any racehorse I’ve ever had,” Heathcote said. “I didn’t think he could win coming to the 400 metre mark but, wow, what a run!”
Woorim (5g Show a Heart – Wabble by Canadian Silver) will qualify for the Stradbroke if he receives a weight penalty for Saturday’s eye-catching victory. “He was only beaten a couple of lengths in the Rupert Clarke down in Melbourne – hopefully he can rectify that in a couple of weeks.”
Heathcote has also nominated stablemate Buffering for the Stradbroke. The Mossman gelding warmed up for Queensland’s richest sprint with a G2 win in the Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm last month.
Woorim is by Glenlogan Park’s champion sire Show a Heart and has collected $440,000 in prizemoney. His older brother My Limit has won 6 races in Brisbane and earned more than $361,000.
Owner-breeder Ross Cutts kept Woorim after bidding failed to reach a $75,000 reserve at the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions. He sports the same white, black and orange silks that first came to prominence aboard Show A Heart.
Show A Heart bowed out of racing with a G1 triumph in the 2002 Stradbroke. He has six crops racing and has sired 221 winners of 611 races at a 59% strike-rate.