Trainer Rob Heathcote will gamble on a crucial gear change to snare a Group success with Excellantes in the Gold Coast Guineas on Saturday.Heathcote will put blinkers on the son of Falvelon in the 1200m Group Three feature.Excellantes has won three of his six starts including his past two against his own age group at Eagle Farm."Even though he's won his last two in town I'm putting blinkers on him for the first time," Heathcote said."I just think he needs them as he lost concentration when he go

Trainer Rob Heathcote will gamble on a crucial gear change to snare a Group success with Excellantes in the Gold Coast Guineas on Saturday.

Heathcote will put blinkers on the son of Falvelon in the 1200m Group Three feature.

Excellantes has won three of his six starts including his past two against his own age group at Eagle Farm.

"Even though he's won his last two in town I'm putting blinkers on him for the first time," Heathcote said.

"I just think he needs them as he lost concentration when he got to the front in his last two runs."

Brisbane's premier trainer, Heathcote started the winter carnival with a win by Buffering in last week's Group Two Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm.

Heathcote has booked Larry Cassidy for Excellantes following Damian Browne's decision to stay with Caloundra sprinter Ready To Rip.

"I think Ready To Rip is the one to beat after Damian jumped off my bloke to ride him," Heathcote said.

"Larry Cassidy is happy to get the ride but it's a very hard race."

Heathcote also has great respect for Toowoomba sprinter Spirit Of Boom following his game third to Ready To Rip in the Mick Dittman Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm last month.

"Ready To Rip is the one to beat but Spirit Of Boom also has the runs on the board," Heathcote said.

"My horse hasn't met the opposition those horses have but he gets his chance tomorrow.

"I need as drier track as we can get for him even although he has won on a dead and slow track.

"He's much better on top of the ground."

Heathcote's wish is improving by the hour with the Gold Coast track drying rapidly.

After being rated a heavy (8) on Thursday course ranger Steve Andrews said he expected a slow (6) but a dead track was a possibility.

Heathcote is undecided on Excellantes' winter program beyond the Group Three Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 21.

"We'll see how he goes in the Fred Best Classic but he's by Falvelon so I doubt he'll run a mile in the Queensland Guineas."

The Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) is at Eagle Farm on June 11.