Buffering drew awkwardly at barrier 12 in the Doomben 10,000. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Leading Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote was hoping for better luck this week after Buffering blew the start in the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm on May 11.

Buffering never regained his balance and was always struggling in the heavy conditions and was beaten six and three quarter lengths by Sydney three year old Your Song.

“Whatever could have gone wrong last start did go wrong,” Heathcote said.

“I woke up race morning with an even-money favourite in a Group 1 race. Then the rain came. Then at the start, he’s usually a brilliant beginner, but took a step back. And as his momentum was going back, the starter let them go.

“For the next 400m he was scrambling. He just couldn’t get into a rhythm.

“I’m happy to put that run behind us. We don’t need good luck, but we don’t need any bad luck.”

Heathcote has never given up hope that Group 1 bridesmaid Buffering will breakthrough at the top level and believes he can turn the tables on Your Song this week, also admitting it will be a tough ask.

“It looks like being an absolutely stellar Doomben 10,000,” Heathcote said.

“You’ve got Your Song who is already a Group 1 winner, you’ve got Buffering who is knocking on the door, Sea Siren who won the race last year and Better Than Ready who is one of the early market favourites for the Stradbroke.

“I think it’s going to be a truly great race.”

Rain Affair is likely to spring the gates again and shoot to the front from barrier five while Damian Browne will have to ensure a good getaway this week and let Buffering slide across from the outside draw to sit just outside or just behind the leader.

Top Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman, who replaces BTC Cup winning rider Peter Robl who is out suspended, has been handed a massive task with Your Song coming up with the outside gate.

Bowman will be hoping that Rain Affair sets a genuine pace giving him the opportunity to slot Your Song in somewhere just off the pace.

Last year’s Doomben 10,000 winner Sea Siren drew just worst than midfield at nine while Chris Waller’s war horse Rangirangdoo also had no friends when the marbles dropped, coming up with barrier fourteen.

Ric McMahon will have no option than to drop back in the field on Better Than Ready from the inside gate and ride for luck.

The Kelly Schweida trained three year old will be better suited over the 1350m on Saturday and another good run at weight for age will see him come right into top calculations for the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap in another two weeks on the roomier Eagle Farm track over the 1400m.

Other local hope Spirit Of Boom drew awkwardly at thirteen while Kerrin McEvoy will be able to position the Peter Snowden trained Epaulette wherever he likes in the field from gate four.

Epaulette nosed out stablemate Albrecht in the 2012 Golden Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Snowden has freshened the Commands colt up since running sixth to All Too Hard in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27 and will go into the Doomben 10,000 four weeks in between runs.

But that was Snowden’s plan and he is relying on Epaulette’s good fresh form for him to be very competitive against BTC Cup winner Your Song, Rain Affair and top local sprinters Buffering and Better Than Ready.

“Epaulette has been freshened after the All Aged Stakes, and he’s had a trial at Rosehill,” Snowden said.

“I didn’t want to run him in the BTC Cup and give him too many runs. He goes well fresh. It’s worked for him before.”

Snowden’s thinking is that the horses who ran in the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm on May 11 had a tough run on the heavy track and would have taken a lot longer to recover than normal.

“I ran Rarefied in that race, he’s an old campaigner, and even an old horse like him took four or five days to get over it,” Snowden said.

“That type of track you really handle or you go terribly on. There’s no in-between. Rarefied was a really fit horse, but he was still knocked around.

But Snowden was also quick to acknowledge the ability of Your Song who handled the track conditions and the step up to Group 1 company with relative ease.

“Your Song was flattered big time by the wet track, but there’s no way I’ll dismiss him on Saturday. He really excelled last start and got through it like it was dry,” Snowden added.

Even though Rain Affair is a renowned mudlark, he couldn’t match it with Your Song over the concluding stages of the BTC Cup and was beaten five lengths in the run to the line.

Third placegetter Better Than Ready and Buffering will be better suited back on top of the ground with Epaulette untried on anything worse than dead.

Epaulette scored at Group 1 level in the Spring against his own age in the when he beat stablemate Albrecht in the $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 15.

The Commands colt then went on to score over 1400m in the Group 3 $175,000 BECK Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on September 30 before finishing third to All Too Hard in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13.

Anthony Cummings has reported that Your Song has pulled up in great order and is looking forward to the $2.80 Doomben 10,000 favourite adding another Group 1 win to his credit.

Group 1 bridesmaid Buffering is the second pick at $4 with Epaulette on the third line of betting at $6 just in front of Rain Affair at $7.50 with Better Than Ready at $10.

Your Song scores a runaway win in the G1 BTC Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Your Song handled the heavy conditions to perfection causing an upset result when the anticipated battle between the two pre post favourites Rain Affair and Buffering didn’t eventuate.

The first shock of the race came when the Robert Heathcote trained Buffering missed the start and was out the back instead of challenging for the lead with Rain Affair.

And while Hugh Bowman had Rain Affair travelling kindly in front, the five year old failed to show his usual resistance in the straight when Your Song put him away at the 200m and Buffering was never in the hunt even with Damian Browne urging the favourite along before the home turn.

Cummings has always held a high opinion of Your Song and wasn’t frightened to test him at Group 1 level after some good efforts as a two year old and early three year old.

“He was very comfortable on the ground,” Cummings said.

“Pete rode him very positively, got he over to a very competitive spot right from the gates, the horse did the rest.”

“You’ve got the right horse, he’s fit, go to the races, see what happens.”

Cummings had planned to go to Melbourne in the Spring with Your Song but injury forced the chance of plan and he worked out a plan to bring him to Brisbane.

“From the first day he came I said that he was a Group 1 horse, but it’s taken a little bit longer to prove it than I expected to but very pleased to have got the job done today.”

Your Song will stay in Brisbane for the rest of the carnival with the Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 25 and the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8 well within his reach.

Browne said that Buffering had the job ahead of him right from the start when he took a backward step just as the gates opened and was virtually never in the race while Bowman could offer no excuses for Rain Affair.

Local three year old Better Than Ready was only one of a few runners that has made up any ground in the wet today and put in an eye-catching Stradbroke Handicap trial running home for third from well back in the field.

Fiveandahalfstar winning the G1 BMW at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Cummings had to spell Fiveandahalfstar after winning the Group 1 $2.25m The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on April 6 after pulling up sore but is hopeful he will be fit in time for the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

The Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington are high priority for Cummings

Fiveandahalfstar ended a frustrating run of seconds in the Autumn with his narrow win in the BMW but Cummings had to call an end to his campaign early and miss the Group 1 $1.5m David Jones Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick the following week.

“Fiveandahalfstar’s doing the controlled exercise ‘thing’ in the stable but I plan to send him to the spelling paddock in two weeks,” Cummings said.

“He has been our star and to see him win The BMW and the Derby were real highlights but overall, this has been a very good season so far for the stable.”

Cummings was referring to Fiveandahalfstar’s win in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington last Spring and believes his will fly the stable flag again this year.

The Hotel Grand gelding did have a tough Autumn and was placed four times prior to his BMW win including collecting two runner-up cheques at Group 1 level.

The three year old went down in a tight photo finish to Super Cool in the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 9 followed by a second to the Chris Waller trained Foreteller in the Group 1 $400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 23.

Cummings is chasing another Group 1 on Saturday at Eagle Farm with smart three year old Your Song in the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m).

The Randwick trainer has always held a high opinion of the Fastnet Rock colt and will certainly find out his potential when he comes up against tough Group 1 competitors Buffering, Rain Affair and Sea Siren.

“We have brought him along steadily with Brisbane in mind. He won a barrier trial last Friday very easily and he worked well on the course proper at Randwick on Tuesday,” Cummings said.

“I’m sure he is going well enough to run very well in the BTC Cup, they can’t afford to take him too lightly.”

Your Song is a $10 chance in early markets with local sprinter Buffering the top fancy at $2.40 to breakthrough for his maiden Group 1 victory ahead of Rain Affair and Sea Siren at $5.

Eagle Farm trained Better Than Ready is the next in the betting at $6.50 and will get his chance to produce his strong finish with noted front runners Rain Affair and Buffering guaranteed to set a hot pace.

Buffering is flying the flag for Queensland in the BTC Cup. Photo by: Daniel Costello.

But Heathcote’s number one gun Buffering can do the talking for local racing when he starts as favourite against some serious interstate raiders in Saturday’s Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm.

And Queensland needs him.

In the last decade the $400,000 Brisbane feature has been robbed of its riches by outsiders. Of the past 10 winners only Falvelon (2003) and Albert The Fat (2010) have saluted as home-trained heroes.

Last year Buffering was poised to claim top honours before a stone bruise cruelly ruled him out on the eve of the race.

In 2011 he finished third behind Black Caviar and Hay List. Enough said.

But now, fully fit and showing as a $2.50 top elect in betting, there are no excuses as Queensland’s reigning horse of the year has his best chance yet to join the Group 1 club.

The seven-time Group 1 placegetter ticks all the boxes.

It’s his pet distance, boasting seven victories and eight minor placings over the 1200m trip.

It’s at his home track, a venue where he has won four of seven and also boldly carried 58kg to run second in last year’s Stradbroke Handicap.

There’s no denying the tough gelding’s form. In his BTC Cup warm-up in the Victory Stakes (1200m) the son of Mossman overcame some early pestering from Listen Son to thrash his rivals by 3 1/2 lengths in a slick time of 1:08.54.

Drawing barrier seven is perhaps the only slight knock on the proven weight-for-age speedster who faces a battle with Sydney top-liners Rain Affair (2) and Sea Siren (3) who have the advantage of being drawn inside Buffering.

The pair represent the major dangers to preventing the local success story.

But both will have to overcome queries that are far more worrying than a slightly awkward barrier.

Rain Affair, also a Group 1 bridesmaid, was second to All Too Hard in the All Aged Stakes (1400m) but is dropping back in distance and even trainer Joe Pride has said the 1200m is not his most ideal trip.

Sea Siren is a triple Group 1 winner and defending champion but the classy mare has failed to show her best since a failed trip to Hong Kong in December.

The BTC Cup is the first Group 1 of Brisbane’s winter carnival and will jump as race 7 at 3:40pm (AEST).

Buffering is ready to win maiden Group 1 in BTC Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

While Sydney’s front running Rain Affair has drawn perfectly at gate two in the eleven horse field with new rider Hugh Bowman sure to set the pace again in $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m).

The Robert Heathcote trained Buffering has terrific gate speed and Browne will have to  make an early decision if he is going to lead, sit outside Rain Affair or take a sit in the first 200m.

Buffering has run some of his best races when out in front but has also performed well slotting it behind the pace.

Whereas Rain Affair always goes out hard as he displayed last start when run down by glamour colt All Too Hard after leading in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27.

“As for Saturday’s race, the tactics are a decision I will make probably after the first 200m of the race,” Browne said.

“Rain Affair is a very quick horse but Buffering has got a very high cruising speed as well.”

Buffering has a frustrating run of seven Group 1 placings but Browne feels the five year old will get no better chance than Saturday on his home track to secure his first.

“We all know that Buffering is capable of winning a Group 1 race. It is just a matter of getting the monkey off his back,” Browne said.

“He probably feels better than he has ever felt.”

“Every other carnival he has always been away, whether it be in Melbourne or Sydney, before we get to this Brisbane carnival.”

“This time it is all about Brisbane and that is his home ground.

“His record at Eagle Farm still is very good and I don’t think the fact it is there rather than at Doomben will make any great difference to him.”

Buffering was in this position twelve months when he was a raging pre post favourite for this race before Heathcote had to scratch when the gelding developed a foot problem on race eve.

Sea Siren than went on to score her maiden Group 1 victory in the BTC Cup and then made it back to back Group 1 wins beating a brave underdone Buffering in the Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) two weeks later.

Among Buffering’s Group 1 placings is a gallant second to the great Hay List in the 2012 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington in the Autumn.

Buffering has also been placed three times behind super mare Black Caviar including a second in the 2011 Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington in the Spring.

Ready To Rip not to run in this week's BTC Cup, will race at Doomben the following week. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Ready To Rip will make his second Winter Carnival appearance in the easier Group 3 $125,000 Darley BRC Sprint (1350m) under handicap conditions.

“I wanted to give him three weeks between runs so he won’t run in the BTC Cup, rather we’ll wait another week and he can run in the 1350 metre sprint then,” Moody said.

Ready To Rip had a tough run behind Buffering and couldn’t match it with the Robert Heathcote trained speedster when sixth, beaten almost six lengths in the slick time of 1.08.54s and Moody wanted to make sure the five year old has plenty of time to recuperate.

“Not much went right for him behind Buffering and I was really keen to make sure he had three weeks between runs,” Moody said.

Moody brought Ready To Rip back to Queensland, where he did all his early racing under Sunshine Coast trainer Andrew Williamson, after winning the Listed $120,000 Thoroughbred Club Cup (1200m) at Caulfield on March 23.

The Caulfield win was the third for Moody following his wins over 1200m at Flemington at his first run for the stable last July followed by a win in the Group 3 $125,000 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Buffering, with race jockey Damien Browne on aboard worked with stable mate Bribie on the Doomben course proper this morning over 1000m and pleased Heathcote with the solid workout.

“Nice work, he’s fit enough,” Heathcote said after the pair went to the line together under a good hold.

There is certain to be plenty of pressure up front in the BTC Cup with Joe Pride’s front running Rain Affair in fine form coming off a gutsy second to All Too Hard after setting the pace in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27.

“He’s had to take on the best of the best, and I’m looking forward to a little bit of a drop in grade,” Pride said.

“It’s still a Group 1 race and it will be very competitive, but at least we won’t be bumping into Black Caviar or All Too Hard this time.”

As expected Buffering is the $2.80 favourite to score his first Group 1 victory with last year’s BTC Cup winner Sea Siren at $4.

Better Than Ready is also prominent in the betting at $4.50 with Rain Affair breathing down his neck at $5.

Better Than Ready wining at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Group 1 bridesmaids Buffering and Rain Affair are both noted front runners and neither set of connections would want to give up the top spot and tomorrow’s barrier will be very important leading up to Saturday’s clash.

While the Kelly Schweida trained Better Than Ready is badly treated by the weight for age scale, McMahon can see the two tough sprinters cutting at each other up front while he is smoking his pipe back in the field.

“Weight-for-age doesn’t really suit us, there isn’t much of a weight difference to Buffering. But there will be a big weight turnaround come Stradbroke Day where Better Than Ready won’t have much weight at all,” McMahon said.

“I really hope they go quick in front in the BTC Cup on Saturday. That is going to be crucial. If they don’t go hard enough, he might struggle to get home over the top.

But McMahon has found a lot of positives for Saturday but added that the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8 is his main target.

The long Eagle Farm straight will suit Better Than Ready and with the Brisbane Racing Club switching the BTC Cup from Doomben in anticipation of Black Caviar coming, might play into the three year olds favour.

“The change to Eagle Farm does suit us with the longer straight … it gives us a bit more of a run in and a bit more time to pick up the leaders,” McMahon said.

“I also think Buffering might be a bit better around Doomben than he is at Eagle Farm. If they go 100 miles an hour, my horse will be hitting the line hard.

“He is a genuine chance if things play into his hands, he can win, but certainly look out for him in the Stradbroke.”

Whatever Better Than Ready does on Saturday, he will be better suited in the Stradbroke where he will meet Buffering and Rain Affair much better at the weights, being well down near the bottom while this week he is only one and a half kilos below the Group 1 competitors.

Buffering has been placed at Group 1 level on seven occasions and is a winner at weight for age six times while Rain Affair has been placed three times in Group 1s with four wins at weight for age.

Better Than Ready has only competed in Group 1 company once when he ran a credible fifth to Shamexpress in the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival and has no experience at weight for age.

McMahon who has a long history of weight problems says that he will be able get down to the 52kgs or 52.5kgs that Better Than Ready is likely to be allocated in the Stradbroke.

“I rode Risk Aversion at 52.5kg in the Coolmore and that wasn’t a problem,” McMahon said.

“It’s not easy, but I have got plenty of time to prepare for the Stradbroke. I know Better Than Ready is going to get no weight in the Stradbroke, so I have got a bit of time.”

Better Than Ready showed his liking for the long Eagle Farm straight scoring over 1000m at his last start while Buffering returned from a disappointing Spring to score first up in the Group 2 $175,000 Coca-Cola Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on April 27.

While Rain Affair has been mixing it with the best with a fourth to the mighty mare Black Caviar in the Group 1 $1m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 13 followed by a second to glamour three year old All Too Hard in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27.

As expected Buffering is the $2.80 favourite to score his first Group 1 victory with last year’s BTC Cup winner Sea Siren at $4.

Better Than Ready is also prominent in the betting at $4.50 with Rain Affair breathing down his neck at $5.

Trainer Robert Heathcote and jockey Damian Browne celebrating one of Buffering's many wins. Photo by Taron Clarke.

Jockey Larry Cassidy took Heathcote to task relating to comments he made about the top jockey for his aggressive ride on the Tony Gollan trained Listen Son after putting pressure on Heathcote’s Buffering in the early and middle stages of the Group 2 $175,000 Coca-Cola Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on April 27.

Buffering who was ridden by Damien Browne, went on to an easy win while Listen Son faded to finish fourth in the seven horse field which led Heathcote to write “Buffering got well softened up by Cassidy on Listen Son as we expected him to and Buff’s class just shone through in the end.”

Heathcote also said in the blog that “Nice to get one over Cassidy and my colleague Tony Gollan but, rest assured, the square up may come down the track somewhere.”

Racing Queensland Stewards deemed the comments were conduct prejudicial to the image of racing and fined the premier trainer $500.

It is well documented that there is no love lost between Cassidy and Heathcote after the experienced jockey was sacked as the stable’s number one jockey almost two years ago.

Heathcote said immediately after the inquiry concluded that he would have to review his media commitments and that he wouldn’t post any more blogs.

”For the amount of time I devote to the industry, aside from my own business, that is what has upset me the most to have to face this charge,” Heathcote said.

”The offending blog is something I write as a courtesy to a good friend, to bring as much information to the public as I can.

”That will now be my last blog.

”I will also review my obligations with regard to the media.”

Chief Steward Wade Birch acknowledged Heathcote’s input and commitment to the Queensland Racing Industry but went on to say his comments were unacceptable in the circumstances.

“You are a good ambassador for the sport of racing .. but we feel you have let yourself down,” Birch said.

Heathcote will be back in business on Saturday at Eagle Farm when he saddles up Buffering in the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) with the five year old looking for his first Group 1 success after being placed in that company on seven occasions, including placings behind the two best sprinters in the country, Black Caviar and Hay List.

Buffering was pre post favourite for this race last year but had to be scratched after developing a foot injury and will again be sent out the top pick on his Victory Stakes win.

In early markets Buffering is heading the list at $2.80 with last year’s winner Sea Siren the second pick at $4.20.

All Aged Stakes runner-up Rain Affair is at $4.80 while local three year old Better Than Ready is also in the betting at $5.

Rain Affair is primed to win his maiden Group 1 in the BTC Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.

Rain Affair once again set the pace last start in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27 but couldn’t hold out three year old All Too Hard’s powerful finish.

The Joe Pride trained five year old was denied a Group 1 victory in the same race last year in the same circumstances when Atlantic Jewel proved too strong over the concluding stages.

Local star Buffering is still searching for his maiden Group 1 after being placed on seven occasions at the top level and also runs his best races rolling along in front.

Rain Affair won’t arrive in Brisbane until later in the week and then stay on for the Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 25 and the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.

“He will head up there on Thursday, just the same as I have done previously with the likes of Red Oog (Doomben 10,000 winner) and Tiger Tees (BRC Sprint),” Pride said.

“Bringing them up late works for their first run, and then he will stay there for the Doomben 10,000 and possibly Stradbroke.”

Like Buffering, Rain Affair is still searching for his first Group 1 victory and Pride is hoping Saturday’s weight for age sprint will be a slightly easier assignment after last start’s clash with All Too Hard and when fourth to Black Caviar in the Group 1 $1m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick two weeks earlier.

“He’s had to take on the best of the best, and I’m looking forward to a little bit of a drop in grade,” he said.

“It’s still a Group 1 race and it will be very competitive, but at least we won’t be bumping into Black Caviar or All Too Hard this time.”

Leading Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote has Buffering back to his best after the five year returned from a break with a sizzling all the way win in the Group 2 $175,000 Coca-Cola Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on April 27.

Heathcote had Buffering primed to win the BTC Cup last year but had to scratch on race morning because of a foot injury.

Last year’s winner Sea Siren will again line up with trainer John O’Shea confident that the four year old mare is ready to fire after putting in two lacklustre runs following an unsuccessful trip to Hong Kong in December when ninth in the Group 1 HK$15m Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.

“The problem with going overseas is that it takes so long to get them back and it’s really taken a lot of work to get her fit this time,” O’Shea said.