Bowman to ride buffering in Doomben 10,000

Sydney’s top jockey Hugh Bowman will be the new rider on Buffering in Saturday’s Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben.

Bowman will replace Nash Rawiller who received a ten meeting suspension for interference he caused on the turn out of the straight the first time in the Group 1 $500,000 Kirks Doomben Cup  (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Rawiller went on to win the Doomben Cup on the Anthony Freedman trained Mawingo but won’t be allowed to ride again until Stradbroke Handicap day on June 9 after Stewards found him guilty of careless riding.

Rawiller was booked to ride Buffering in both the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 12 and the Doomben 10,000 but has been replaced without having a ride on him in Brisbane.

But trainer Robert Heathcote is having a battle against time to have Buffering fit for Doomben this weekend after the gelding sustained a hoof injury and had to be scratched from the BTC Cup when a raging hot favourite.

And Heathcote admits that Buffering will go into Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 underdone after missing the run and several key gallops on the track but is confident he will have him in good enough order to be a genuine winning chance.

“The biggest worry is missing so much work. He’ll be going into the 10,000 underdone. He’s missed a fair bit of work because of his stone bruise,” Heathcote said.

Heathcote reported that the stone bruise on Buffering’s hoof had finally burst out last Friday after a sixty minute walk at the beach in the salt water and he was able to give the four year old some work on Saturday morning.

“I’m confident he’ll get there. I gave him two laps around Doomben on Saturday and he pulled up great.”

“The stone bruise burst out on Friday after he came back from a 60-minute walk at the beach.”

“The pain he was feeling dissipated immediately after it burst and there’s no pain at all now.”

Heathcote is looking to give Buffering two solid hit outs this week and is hoping for him to line up on Saturday in good order.

Buffering was on the verge of claiming his first Group 1 victory in the BTC Cup after some outstanding Melbourne form over the Autumn with three Group 1 placings but was a race morning scratching because a bruised heel.

Buffering finished third to Black Caviar in the $750,000 Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 18, was a mighty second to Hay List in the $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10 and then battled on for third after setting the pace, to Foxwedge in the $400,000 Power Tracker William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 23.

The John O’Shea trained Sea Siren went on to win the BTC Cup and is now the $4 favourite for the Doomben 10,000 while Buffering has drifted to $4.60 after suffering his setback.

The Darren Weir trained Wealth Princess has climbed up the market order after Saturday’s impressive win in the Group 3 $150,000 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) (F&M) and is now at $8, just ahead of another shortener, Tim Martin’s Pampelonne at $9, who was a dominate winner in the $500,000 Inglis 3yo Guineas (1400m) at Scone on Saturday.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.