ROB'S SHOUT - BUFFERING'S TOP GROUP 1 EFFORT

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, May 30, 2013

Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO, workload permitting.

I went into this winter carnival really expecting Buffering to break his Group 1 maiden status. I am now coming to the realization that it now looks like another couple of golden opportunities have bypassed us and Buffering may have to head back to Melbourne in the Spring to chalk up that elusive major!

Things have not gone Buffering’s way. First, it was the decision to transfer the BTC Cup over to Eagle Farm from Doomben re a possible Black Caviar visit and then the subsequent rain event that smashed the track there which helped conspire against Buffering on that occasion.

Then, in the Doomben 10,000, I reckon Hugh Bowman’s decision to go forward on the favourite and the subsequent breakneck speed he helped inject into the race was a big factor in the outcome.

I take nothing away from Epaulette’s win but I truly believe it was Buffering’s best run of his life and A GROUP 1 EFFORT deserving of a Group 1 win … but, as I have often said, they do not give the majors away.

They have to be earned the hard way!

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Damian Browne has copped a fair bit of criticism for his ride on Buffering in the 10 000 but none of it came from me.

I was happy with our decision to go forward from the wide gate and these are tactics we will more than likely adopt in the upcoming Stradbroke Handicap on Saturday week.

Sure, it’s going to be a monumental task for Buffering to win the Stradbroke carrying the top weight of 58 kilos … and probably an insurmountable hurdle … but if ever there was a horse in my care that could do it, it is this little bulldog who just puts in to the max each and every time.

If indeed circumstances conspire against him again such as a wide gate, a wet track, getting taken on in a speed battle etc, well, we will pack up, give the bulldog a spell and then head off to the Melbourne Spring Carnival for the Group 1 Moir Stakes which, incidentally, he won last year when it was ‘only’ a Group 2 race!

You must remember that Buffering has now chalked up over $2.325 million dollars in prize money so the connections are enormously proud of our little champ and we have not lost our faith the he will eventually get to the top of his ‘Everest’ and win a Group 1!

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Buffering knew he had raced after the 10,000. It took him a good few days to get the spark back which we know he usually has. Come the Thursday work session and he was just about back to his usual self.

He will be spot on for this year’s Straddie but hopefully we get a better gate than the 18 we had last year when he ran a game second place. I reckon I might do the honours and draw the barrier this year so I have no one to blame! Good onya Bruce!

Solzhenitsyn has enjoyed his week with some sun on his back and he is back in the stable with his ‘mojo’ buzzing.

He is sure to give a huge account of himself although this continuous damn rain is worrying the hell out of me! Solzhie dead set needs a dry track to perform at his best so every drop of rain is hurting us!

I do know Solzhie will have a couple of fans in the Stradbroke ... the BTC chairman Neville Bell’s granddaughters! They were stoked to have a pic taken with Michael Rodd when he won the Lord Mayors Cup!

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Some punters have commented that they only back the top visiting jockeys during our carnival as they are lengths better than their local counterparts.

Whilst I can certainly understand some of the merits of that argument, I don’t necessarily agree with it.

Michael (Rodd) gave me a real gem with his Lord Mayor’s Cup win and the visiting jocks have won the bulk of the feature races to date in the carnival but, fair to say, they often get the plumb rides as well.

I believe our top jocks can comfortably match it with the star hoops from down south. In fact, I am even confident enough to book young Tegan Harrison to ride Griffon in the Group 2 QTC Cup for me on Saturday.

That’s a glowing endorsement of her talents and just reward for a super season Tege’s has had! I am confident she will give my bloke every chance in the run!

Mick Cahill, Glen Colless, Damian Browne and a host of other locals would never feel out of place in any jockey room around Australia. Yes, the group winning experience of the likes of Bowman, Jimmy Cassidy, Mike Rodd etc must count for a lot in the true pressure of a big race but our lads can hold their own!

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Oaks day Saturday and my stable chances are probably dashed already when gate 18 came up. Mind you, if the rain that smashed us on Thursday was to come again on Friday and, heaven forbid, on race day itself, Saturday, well I fear for the race meeting itself let alone my stable winning a race.

Funtantes hates it, as does our Oaks runner, Magic In Motion so it may only be the flying grey, Fire Up Fifi who flies the flag for us this Saturday.

I am crossing my fingers we do not have a repeat of the BTC Cup meeting with the weather and track conditions!

Our industry can ill afford it during our showcase carnival.

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It’s often not easy getting up at 3am every morning but an enjoyable aspect of the carnival is the number of visitors we get to Eagle Farm and making new acquaintances.

It can get quite comical at times in the stands on a morning especially with such luminaries as John Meagher, Tony Gollan, Liam Birchley and even Kelly Schweida will grace us with his presence at times.

We often debate the politics of the industry and what’s right and wrong which is always ‘enlightening’ as healthy debate should be.

It’s also nice to meet the visiting trainers and gain knowledge of their circumstances even though we are often competing against each other.

It’s a part of racing where we all simply do the best we can and good luck to the winners.

Regards for now.

Robert

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