ROB'S SHOUT - THE WIN THAT SENT THE SATISFACTION BAROMETER THROUGH THE ROOF

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, October 31, 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 appears exclusively on HRO.

Buffering’s win in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes was the fourth Group 1 win for our stable and I thought I was getting to know that exhilarating feeling of winning at the highest level.

Not so!

Buff’s win brought a whole new sense of achievement with the satisfaction barometer going through the roof.

I guess in a way it was as much pure relief that our little bulldog had finally climbed his Everest. After so many near misses over the past three years and having been beaten by the best in the land, has there ever been a more deserving winner of a major?

The enormous thrill I felt as they crossed that line with Buffering’s head marginally in front was clearly evident by our victory ‘celebrations’. Delirious scenes of pure joy finally washed away the feeling of defeat we had experienced some eighteen times previously at the highest level so, yeah, something very special indeed.

I think the win also puts the horse where he deserves to be. Not at the top of the list of sprinters in this country over the last three years or so but he sure has done us proud and his name can sit comfortably in the the top half a dozen sprinters we have seen in the last 5 years. $3.2 million bucks is also testimony to the success of the horse and if we continue to carefully manage his program, we hope to have him around for another few years yet!

***************************************************************************************************

I should mention the brilliant ride that Damian Browne gave us in winning the Manikato. Little doubt that Damian is at the top of his profession and he is a ripper bloke as well.

It gives me great pleasure having Brownie be part of this incredible journey Buffering is taking us on.

Brownie’s calm and relaxed demeanour has been much needed with all the lead up hype and expectation as we go into the big ones and I know I feel comfortable having him on top!

I must also mention the wonderful job that Melissa, my travelling foreman, is doing with the horses based at our Flemington stables. Remarkable achievements from our three Melbourne runners and Mel’s commitment, experience and passion are invaluable to the success of our team.

****************************************************************************************************

Buffering’s win also continued the success of the Queensland trained horses during the spring.

It’s great for our local racing scene and something that should not be missed by our state’s racing administrators and we should shout our successes from the highest building.

We are well represented again this Saturday on the big stage at Flemington on what’s arguably the best day’s racing on the national calendar.

Great to see such a good team of local horses having a crack and fair to say we have a few decent chances as well!

It will be pretty heady stuff if we can feature in the finish. Missy Longstocking out of Liam’s yard, Longport from Danny’s yard, Spirit Of Boom from Tony’s yard and big Solzhenitsyn and Fifi out of my yard should all do us proud on Saturday while Liam and Brian Smith also have runners on Cup day.

Cheers

Go Queenslander!

More articles