Buffering took his career prizemoney to over the $6 million mark with a comfortable victory in the 2016 Magic Millions QTIS Plate at the Gold Coast this afternoon.
Buffering went into the Magic Millions QTIS Plate as a dominant favourite and he did the job as expected with a typical tough front-running performance, with the eight-year-old comfortably holding off a gallant Mister Booze.
Jockey Damian Browne has partnered Buffering in all his major race wins and he said after the Magic Millions QTIS Plate that he was privileged to be able to ride the champion sprinter in front of his home fans
“He captures the heart of the public and that is what the public needs to come to the races, so it is great for racing,” Browne said.
“He is getting like me – we just do what we have to now, but he is as tough as anything.
“He was still pretty strong today.
“I don’t like traveling much, but I suppose I have to know.”
Buffering has previously won a number of far more prestigious races than the Magic Millions QTIS Plate, but the connections of the old warrior celebrate as if he had won a seventh Group 1 and there was no more relieved trainer at the track than Robert Heathcote.
Heathcote admitted that he felt the pressure ahead of the $1 million race, but he was clearly delighted to see his star galloper get the job done and he confirmed that Buffering will now head to Dubai for the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) in March before potentially contesting the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint (1200m) in Hong Kong on May 1.
“Lose today and they probably would have sacked the trainer,” Heathcote said.
“It is an enormous relief and it gives me a lot of pride to showcase him here on his home-turf in Queensland.
“He is one of Queensland’s best-ever sprinters and to win here is just magic.
“Dubai, Hong Kong and back for a spell and back down to Melbourne and back here again this time next year.
“I just have enormous pride – the dream lives in racing, the sale is on at the moment and the dream is there.
“This horse cost $22,000 and if you want to get into the game and enjoy some of this then get a share in a horse.”
Buffering has now recorded 18 wins from his 50 race starts and accumulated over $6.2 million in prizemoney.