ROB'S SHOUT - BUFF'S BACK! IT WAS PRETTY AWESOME TO KNOCK OFF THE TOP RATED SPRINTER IN THE WORLD
By Robert Heathcote | Wednesday, October 1, 2014
In his personal blog, Rob's Shout, multiple Premiership winning trainer Robert Heathcote reflects on Buffering’s stout effort in lowering the colours of Lankan Rupee in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley last Friday.
Hello again folks,
It’s been a while since I have had the chance to do another ‘blog’, but after the win of Buffering on Friday night, I was asked if I could get the old ‘Olivetti’ out and make a few comments on Buff’s Awesome win.
Buff has now won four at the highest level and gee, it’s a photo finish which is my favourite. His first Group 1 win in last year’s Manikato or the Moir win on Friday night.
The feeling of elation and the jubilant scenes on course were very similar but perhaps for slightly different reasons.
The Manikato win was more a deserving win for a horse who had competed in about 20 Group 1 races and had yet to win one. The relief that he put one in the bank was as deserving a win for any horse to have raced in Australia this past 5 years!
He had mixed it with the best and distinguished himself against Black Caviar, Hay List, Sepoy, Foxwedge, Sea Siren and the Boom Horses among a host of other stars of the turf!
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Last Friday night in the Moir, the feeling was more ‘The Buffs Back’!
Not that he ever went away, it was just that he was slightly off his game in the Autumn and here at home in the two Group 1s in which he finished third.
Sure, knocking off the highest rated sprinter in the world on Friday night was a pretty awesome feeling as well but for me it was just getting the little champ back to his best which gave me the greatest sense of enjoyment.
There were no feelings of ‘Schadenfreude’ for me against Mick Price and his team. Sure, I can fully understand their disappointment with Lankan Rupee getting knocked off again but that’s part and parcel of racing and there are far more low points than highlights in this business.
As Mick said after the first up win … “It’s not how you get knocked down that matters, it’s how you get back up.” I have no doubt that Lankan Rupee will get back up and be damned hard to beat in the Manikato and the Darley Sprint but they can count of the little Brisbane Bulldog making a decent fight of it.
Ex Tassie boy ‘Froggie’ Newitt also copped some criticisms for his ride but that was maybe a touch unwarranted under the circumstances.
The upcoming duels will certainly capture the imagination of the racing public.
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Damian Browne!
After the race he was interviewed and he called Buffering a ‘wee champ’! D. Browne fits into that category as well and I am delighted to have Damian along as part of the Buffering team.
Damian now has the two statues of himself in the Moonee Valley garden of Fame for the year!
Top stuff mate.
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Little Mellie Sharpe deserves a wrap as well.
Mel rides Buff in all his work and she is with him 24/7 now for the spring and hopefully the trip to Hong Kong as well.
Mel has taken on the job as my racing manager and travelling foreman and she is doing a super job.
Mike O’leary and my team of staff at home were also all instrumental in getting Buffering back into the winners stall.
Buffs owners gave the staff some new ‘racing plates’ which was a nice touch!
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Buffering will now have a quiet week with a trip to the beach. I plan to give him a jump out at Flemington on Friday week before he heads back to the Valley to defend his Manikato stakes Title.
Thanks also to all the well wishes after Buffs win.
It does give me an enormous sense of pride to know Buff has such a huge supporter base.
Cheers.
Robert
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