Group 1 bridesmaid Buffering won’t make the trip to Sydney for the Group 1 $1m Darley T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick after failing to fully recover from a hoof injury.
Buffering is to miss the T J Smith because a hoof injury. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Buffering suffered a stone bruise last week and trainer Robert Heathcote was confidence that the five year old would be fit to tackle the $1m weight for age sprint but after inspecting the Mossman gelding this morning he decided stay home at Eagle Farm.
“I was just not 100 per cent happy with him this morning and he won’t be making the trip to Sydney. It’s very frustrating,” Heathcote said.
Buffering has come very close to winning his initial Group 1 on many occasions, running second four times and third twice.
Buffering has run into Black Caviar a number of times with a second to the mighty mare in the 2011 Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington as well as a third in Black Caviar’s second Lightning win down the Flemington straight.
The unlucky sprinter was also beaten by the narrowest of margins when second to Hay List in the 2012 Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington in the Autumn.
Buffering was primed to win his first Group 1 during last year’s Brisbane Winter Carnival but had to be scratched from the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben because a hoof injury.
Heathcote then produced Buffering when gallant in defeat behind Sea Siren in the Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 26 and then was runner-up with 58kg to Mid Summer Music in the Group 1 $1m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.
The leading Brisbane trainer will now try to have Buffering ready to contest the Group 2 $175,000 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on April 27.
Even though Buffering is yet to salute at Group 1 level, he has earned over $2 million in prizemoney from eleven wins from thirty starts, including four Group 2 victories.
