Trainer Robert Heathcote is a realist when it comes to ranking his warrior sprinter Buffering against his G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize rival Chautauqua, who currently sits atop the official World’s Best Racehorse Rankings sprint category, and to the enormity of the task at hand.
“On his day he (Chautauqua) has our measure but come Sunday (1 May) it will be all about how much start he’s giving us and the likes of Peniaphobia, and Aerovelocity if they go forward on him. Our boy is so tough, that’s his asset. It’s one thing to get to Buffering, then you’ve got to get past him,” Heathcote said.
On the official world ratings at this early stage of the year, Chautauqua is rated 121 while the next three top rated are also among Sunday’s entries - Aerovelocity (119), Buffering and Not Listenin’tome (118) - to make the race something of a championship contest, which is further bolstered by the appearance of last year’s winner Gold-Fun and last December’s Hong Kong Sprint winner Peniaphobia, not to mention the emerging four-year-olds Lucky Bubbles, Amazing Kids and Thewizardofoz.
“It looks a great race on Sunday but there are a few things which give us some heart. The form line through Peniaphobia in the Al Quoz Sprint is one,” said Heathcote, referring to the Hong Kong sprinter finishing a length behind Buffering in the Dubai G1 in March.
“And we’re also really happy with how everything’s gone leading into this race. He’s 100 per cent. No niggles. When we came here in 2014, he wasn’t 100 per cent and still managed to run sixth behind Aerovelocity. I think if he’d been spot on, he might have won that race,” he said.
Heathcote said that whatever track conditions prevail on Sunday would not be a major issue for Buffering. “He copes well with soft ground. We wouldn’t want a heavy track but a track with a little give would be ideal, but scarily that also suits Chautauqua,” he said.
Buffering’s longevity has endeared him to racing fans in Australia and few would be likely to begrudge him a second overseas Group 1 sprint win at eight years of age.
The gelded son of Mossman has raced 52 times for 20 wins and 17 seconds and thirds in a career which began early in 2010. “He’s had a few management issues along the way but we’ve tried our best to look after him. I’d say there’s only two occasions in his 52 starts that I regret having run him,” Heathcote said.
Buffering’s career statistics paint a telling picture of his capability and durability. He’s had 32 starts at Group 1 level for seven wins, six seconds, seven thirds and six fourths.
He did not win a Group 1 until his 18th attempt (after 10 placings at the top level), which was in the 2013 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley, in which he beat Hong Kong’s own ‘warrior sprinter’ Lucky Nine. He then won Group 1 races at his next two starts within the space of two months.
“It did take him some time to get that first Group 1 win but you have to remember he was regularly going around against a champion called Black Caviar and other top horses like Hay List,” Heathcote said.
Improved with age, Buffering has won seven of his past 15 runs at Group 1 level. In all, he’s won 10 races right-handed, eight going the other way and two on straight courses.
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Photo 1:
Buffering gallops on the turf course at Sha Tin this morning.
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