Blinkers For Buffering In Melbourne
- Tuesday, 30 August 2011 03:59
Trainer Rob Heathcote will use blinkers on star sprinter Buffering during his upcoming spring engagements in Melbourne.
Heathcote gave the green light for the four-year-old to wear the hood following a successful trackwork experiment on the course proper at Doomben on Tuesday.
"I was lucky enough to be given permission by the Brisbane Racing Club to gallop Buffering and Woorim together on the Doomben course proper," Heathcote said.
"I really appreciate what the club did and both of them worked extremely well.
"I put blinkers on Buffering for the first time and he went awesome.
"I've always wanted to try blinkers on him and he'll wear them in his first run in Melbourne in the McEwen Stakes."
The Group Three McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday week will be Buffering's lead-up to his main mission in the Group One Manikato Stakes (1200m) on the same track on September 30.
"I know he could be taking on horses like Sepoy and More Joyous but he's a Group Two winner who deserves his opportunity," Heathcote said.
Woorim will also launch his spring campaign at Moonee Valley on Saturday week in a 1200-metre Open Handicap.
Woorim missed his comeback at Doomben last Saturday when the final two races were abandoned because of poor visibility.
However, Heathcote wasn't unduly worried with Woorim's comeback being delayed.
"It hasn't massively upset my plans with Woorim," he said.
Buffering, winner of the Group Two Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane winter carnival, hasn't started since finishing fourth in the Group Three Healy Stakes (1200m) won by Pinwheel at Eagle Farm on June 25.
The son of Mossman was a gallant fourth at his previous start to Sincero in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
Woorim and Buffering will be Heathcote's advance team to Melbourne and are booked on a flight next Monday.
Caloundra jockey Damian Browne made a special trip to ride Woorim in his Doomben gallop and will ride both sprinters in their first-up Melbourne appearances.
"I'm very happy with Buffering. He had four weeks out after his last run and he's been in work only about five weeks," Heathcote said.
"There's no better opportunity to try blinkers on him the first time than at Moonee Valley where they are sure to go fast."
Woorim's main mission will be the Group One The Emirates (1600m) at Flemington in November.
Heathcote is yet to train a Group One winner and rates Woorim as his best chance to end his run of outs at the elite level.
