Australia’s newly crowned number one sprinter Buffering will head to Perth for the Group 1 $500,000 Crown Perth – Winterbottom Stakes(1200m) at Ascot on November 23 to keep his Group 1 winning momentum going.
Buffering winning the VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Queensland’s leading trainer Robert Heathcote confirmed that Buffering will travel to the west after completing back to back Group 1 wins in the $1m Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 and the $1m VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
“I’m still going to Perth because I’ve promised the boys so hopefully Buffering will be a nice drawcard for their carnival then he’ll come home to Brisbane,” Heathcote told The Daily Telegraph.
Heathcote was quick to claim the sprinter’s new mantle following the six year old’s two Group 1 victories after having to compete against the likes of Black Caviar and Hay List for the majority of his racing career.
“I find it quite extraordinary. A couple of weeks ago the headline said he wasn’t a Group 1 horse and now the headline says he may be the best in the world,” Heathcote told TVN’s Racing Review.
“Buffering has an ability to cruise along at a high speed and sustain it as well as carry weight and that makes good weight-for-age performers.”
Buffering has raced consistently at Group 1 level for four seasons and has earned over $3.8 million in prizemoney from fourteen wins from thirty-seven starts.
Heathcote will also send stable mate Fire Up Fifi to Perth to contest the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught – Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on the same day as the Winterbottom Stakes.
“Fire Up Fifi will also go there for the Railway Stakes,” Heathcote said.
Fire Up Fifi has earned herself a trip to Perth’s Summer Carnival following some good Spring form that saw her win the Group 2 $220,000 Blazer Stakes (1410m) at Flemington on October 5 and then ran third to Red Tracer in the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on November 2.
