Travel won’t hurt Buffering’s chances of winning, Heathcote says
Buffering will have a longer trip to Dubai than anticipated but trainer Robert Heathcote says the veteran sprinter will take it in his stride.
The multiple Group One winner is embarking on a mission to win Group One races in Dubai and Hong Kong in the coming months.
“He now has to go via Hong Kong. It is about eight hours to Hong Kong and then about ten hours to Dubai instead of thirteen hours straight to Dubai,” Heathcote said.
“But he is an experienced traveller and it shouldn’t worry him.”
Buffering had a hit-out at Doomben on Saturday and will have his final work-out on Tuesday morning when he has the honour of being the first horse to gallop on the new Eagle Farm track.
He leaves for Sydney on Thursday and will stay at Warwick Farm until he flies out on Monday week for Dubai where he runs in the Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) on the World Cup program at the end of the month, a race won by Australian mare Ortensia four years ago.
The plan is to then go to Hong Kong for the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize on May 1.
Buffering worked with stablemate Gid Up Strop between races on Saturday and held the younger horse in a comfortable gallop over 600m.
Heathcote and race jockey Damian Browne will leave Australia for Dubai on Wednesday week.
“I am really look forward to the trip. Buffering has been a wonderful horse for us and Queensland,” Heathcote said.
“I would love him to win on the international stage.”
Buffering has won six Group One races and more than $6.4 million prize money.