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ROB'S SHOUT - BUFF LINING UP MOIR NUMBER FOUR

By Robert Heathcote | Friday, September 30, 2016

Trainer Robert Heathcote has worked wonders with Buffering over many seasons. The horse’s latest campaign, as a nine-year-old, kicks off tonight in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley which Buffering has all but made his own over the last four years with three race wins and a runner-up finish since 2012. Tonight is a different race, a different time against a host of quality, younger rivals ... some of whom have five and six years advantage on Buffering ... in a lineup that features the mighty Chautauqua. Things certainly don’t get easier for Queensland star, but then that has done little to shake the faith of the Buffering team as Heathcote explains here in his personal blog 'Rob's Shout' which is exclusively to HRO

It was interesting after Buff’s international journey to Dubai and Hong Kong where we experienced a huge high and big disappointment.

After the euphoria of Dubai where it must be remembered, Chautauqua aside, it was the best sprint field in the world. It was the winner of the Breeder’s Cup in America ... the sprints in England, the Hong Kong runners.

They were all part of it and Buffering won.

So then we went to Hong Kong but, any disappointment aside, I was not too concerned about Buffering. He got well beaten and the vet said he was lame after the race and yes he did have a bit of a bleed in his trachea but that is not an unusual thing with supreme athletes.

So it was probably Buff’s pride that was hurt more than anything else.

So, as far as Buff moving forward was concerned, I came away from that situation believing that what I needed to see from Buff was desire, enthusiasm and attitude ... more than any physical signs ... because he could go through World War 1 battle fields of Somme and come out the other side.

That’s the type of horse he is, but to me it is always about whether or not that desire to compete at the highest level is still there.

Damian (Browne) has said it and I have been saying it all of the time, in this lead up to his defence of his Moir. Buffering wants to do it. Damian does not say things for the hell of it. He doesn’t embellish. In fact he rather underplays things.

I mean there I was down in Mount Perisher in the snow watching Buff’s trial in-between races at Doomben and I then found out he has run 0.40 seconds outside the track record. I talked to Damian on the phone and he said Buffering knocked up a bit the last 100m. He needed the gallop. That is Damian to a tee. No excitement. No exaggeration.

Damian knows the horse. He knows what he is capable of doing but, more importantly, he knows the feel of the horse ... so if he says Buff wants to do it, Buff wants to do it.

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The Moir takes place at Moonee Valley which raises as interesting question. Given his record, is Buff a Moonee Valley track specialist?

In the past Brownie has said to me that he doesn’t feel Buffering handles the track all that well ... because he can get on the wrong leg and he can change strides a little bit ... and yet he has done so well there.

His first Group 1 win the Manikato in 2013 will always go down as the most memorable win in my career irrespective of anything else ... including Dubai ... because it was eighteen goes for Buffering before winning one and then beating the likes of Lucky Nine and a quality, crack Group 1 field.

Woorim, my first Group 1, is obviously still close to my heart ... he way he did it ... and Solzhenitsyn of course ... but Buff’s 2013 Manikato was the best!

As for his liking for the track? I'll let you decide.

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These days the trip to Melbourne for Buff is nothing but a hop, skip and a jump.

He is so well travelled and travels well!

I drove him out to the airport at eleven-thirty on Monday night and he got off the float and he walked around with a spring in his step. Hopfgarten travelled with him. We gave Hopfgarten a mild sedative. Buffering needed nothing.

We walked him up on the float and he stood there with his ears pricked and looked around ... and Mel said when he got off the plane in Melbourne his level of enthusiasm was one hundred percent.

He is a unique character.

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So we are ready.

Initially seeing that we’ve barrier six pleases me.

Chautauqua is drawn inside us ... goes back anyway. Redzel is the horse I feared, because it is quick ... lightning quick, quicker than Buffering.

So it can lead. I believe we are quicker than the horses inside of us, so, in that theory, we can go and sit outside Redzel. Extreme Choice and others are drawn outside of us. They may anticipate crossing us. How much work they do will be up to Damian.

So, tactically, all things being equal, things might have fallen into place for us a little bit.

The simple fact for Buff’s opponents is the same in almost every race. If you want to get into a toe to toe fight with Buffering ...be prepared to cop a knockout one way or the other.

You might stop Buffering from winning but you might just ruin your own chances in the process.

Chautauqua ... of course you are going to have to be pretty good to hold him out but there are no ‘gimmes’ in racing.

I'm looking forward to a great contest.

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I have already been asked, if Buff were to have a bad run in the Moir would I retire him?

Well the easy answer might be yes ... but, no, I’m not going to make that decision on the basis of one poor result, should that happen.

Damian knows the horse, Melanie (Sharpe) know the horse ... and I am going to listen to the people who know the horses the best, the whole team from the people who do the box right through to the track-work riders and Damian and then make that assessment as to where we are any particular stage ... but Buffering will have the final say.

He is such an effervescent character. He has so many individual characteristics that it is really quite extraordinary ... enough for him to be able to tell us when he doesn’t want to race anymore.

That’s pretty much how we are going to do it.

First things first though.

For now it’s on to the Moir.

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