The nine-year-old Rothfire is back for another spring campaign as he likely enters a Group 1 Moir Stakes first up.

Trainer Rob Heathcote joined Gareth Hall on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up to give an update on the Group 1 winning gelding.

“The old boy is well,” Heathcote said.

The ‘old boys’ of the Group 1 ecosystem have had a strong start to the spring season so far with impressive first-up runs from Mr Brightside and Private Eye both at the ripened age of nine.

“I take heart from the fact that Private Eye ran so brilliantly recently and he is a 9 year old,” affirmed Heathcote.

The Moir Stakes field is rounding out to be quite impressive with proven commodities Giga Kick and My Gladiola returning to the track.

The impressive new kid in the block __Natural Fling __trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy also shapes the field after a dominant first up win in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.

But it is the ‘old boy’ Rothfire that will have something to prove coming off a career defining home __Group 1 Doomben 10,000 __win in the autumn.

Naysayers will argue that 1000m is just too short for him at Group 1 level, but Heathcote does not share this opinion.

“I mean wind the clock back to the Moir at Moonee Valley, he was in behind them with nowhere to go with 200 to go, and I think he is in the finish if he got a clear run,” he said.

Heathcote also noted that he trialed super last week.

“The old bugger is his usual self.”

Rothfire is currently $26 for this Saturday’s Group 1 Moir Stakes at Sandown with Sportbet.