Queensland sprinting star Buffering will chase more international Group 1 wins in Hong Kong and possibly Royal Ascot after scoring a dominant win in the Group 1 US$1m Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) at Meydan in Dubai last Saturday night.
The Robert Heathcote trained Buffering with Damian Browne in the saddle scored his seventh Group 1 win with a three quarters of a length win over local hero Ertijaal with Hong Kong ace Peniaphobia a close up third.
Buffering will now fly back to Hong Kong to compete in the Group 1 HK$10,000,000 Chairman’s Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on May 1 and another good showing will see Heathcote accept an invitation to run at Royal Ascot in June.
The Group 1 £400,000 The King’s Stand Stakes (5 furlongs) on June 14 and the Group 1 £600,000 The Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6 furlongs) four days later are both suitable races for Buffering.
“We have already planned to run in Hong Kong on May 1 and then the timing of Royal Ascot couldn’t be better, coming in the second week of June. I’d love to shake hands with The Queen,” Heathcote told The Courier Mail.
Heathcote was lost for words after Buffering defeated a strong international field of sprinters down the turf straight at Meydan and can’t see the eight year old slowing down in the near furture.
“Today he proved he truly is a racehorse to be treasured,” Heathcote said after Buffering’s win on Saturday night.
“To race in 32 Group 1 races is extraordinary and to have won seven of the last 15 he has contested is quite unbelievable.
“That’s why he has endeared himself to so many people. I have been blown away by how much interest there is in this horse. I’m pinching myself.
“I don’t think I have the literary skills to describe what it was like after that race. It was just surreal.”
Browne rode a brilliant race and had Buffering out the barriers quickly to have the eight year old always in the leading division and found the better part of the track towards the outside fence where he was able to able to hold off all the challengers.
Buffering’s Group 1 winning record:
- 2013: $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley, $1m VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington, $500,000 Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, Perth
2014: $450,000 City Jeep Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley - 2015: $450,000 City Jeep Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley, $1m Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, Perth.
- 2016: US$1m Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) at Meydan in Dubai.
Buffering’s Al Quoz Sprint’s first prize of US$600,000 took his overall earning to over AUS$7 million.