PRESS LINK - AN UNFOLDING STORY

By Graham Potter | Saturday, February 14, 2026

When a horse turns in one barnstorming success, showing superb acceleration in a scintillating come from behind win after a twelve month, injury enforced layoff, that is a effort that is difficult to replicate second-up … yet that challenge proved to be no problem at all for the Robert Heathcote trained Press Link who, once again, ran right past his opposition after coming from last to score impressively at Eagle Farm on Saturday in a carbon copy of his first-up win.

The fact that Press Link’s two wins since returning to Australia from an unproductive, injury interrupted spell in Hong Kong have been in a BM78 and a BM85 is neither here nor there … the point being that the son of the well performed Group 1 winning Press Statement, is doing enough in this important early stage of his return preparation to suggest bigger things could be in the offing.

The opportunities offered during the Queensland Winter Carnival a couple of months from now could ultimately come into serious focus but, for now, his connections are playing down any lofty aspirations because, effectively, as impressive as he has been, Press Link is still very much in the process of rebuilding his career after a serious setback.

Press Link is now a five-time winner from only ten starts. All of his wins have come when trained by Heathcote, who had Press Link for six starts prior to the horse’s relocation to Hong Kong … and who now has him back in the fold in Brisbane with these two wins from two starts, both over 1200m.

“Look, I had trepidations when he failed in Hong Kong and there were issues with his legs but, touch wood, I have not had one problem with him since he’s come back,” said Heathcote.

“His two wins have been full of merit. He has been racing against the pattern and he has beaten them.

“I’ll take my time with him now. If I can win the next one with him it will get him up to a rating in the nineties …then I can start wishing.”

Jockey Vlad Duric, who partnered Press Link in both victories had the best seat in the house from which to evaluate Press Link’s progress.

“He strides and gives you the stride of a proper horse. He’s progressive. He is learning … and as he gets to 1400m, a mile you’ll see a better horse again,” said Duric.

This is not the first time that Press Link has benefitted from some patient management.

He was held back early and did not race as a two-year-old. He only faced the starter for the first time four months into his three-year-old season and he immediately repaid the trust shown in his development by winning his first three starts on the trot.

He then took two big bounds in his next two starts finishing third in the Listed Daybreak Lover and third in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas.

If nothing else that three-year-old career underlined Press Link’s potential.

He basically forfeited the majority of his four-year-old campaign which only encompassed a month’s race action covering two lack-lustre starts in Hong Kong.

Now he is back in the Heathcote stable as five-year-old, again only resuming with half of the season gone, but he has resumed with relish, seemingly intent on making up for lost ground.

It is the second chance that his connections might have wondered if it would ever eventuate.

It is the second chance that is up and running.

It is the second chance that, as things stand right now, bodes well for the future.

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