As the hours count down to the Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben tomorrow, the more trainer Robert Heathcote is growing in confidence with his four year old Buffering.
Buffering has been under an injury cloud with a bruised hoof and was a race morning scratching when favourite for the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 12 and Heathcote has been battling against the clock to get his charge fit for tomorrow’s assignment.
“Buffering missed a run in the BTC Cup and at least one hard gallop,” Heathcote said.
“But I’m certain I can get him to the 10,000 in good enough order to be a genuine chance of winning.”
“It was disappointing to miss the BTC Cup but I’ve been in racing long enough now, and I am pretty philosophical, it’s happened, it’s done, we move on,” he said.
“It’s been a hectic time trying to get him right over the last ten days, but we’re happy now.”
“Buffering did his final bit of work with Woorim over 1200m at Doomben and they came home in 23.5s.”
Buffering worked strongly with stablemate Woorim on Wednesday, and apart from the Oakleigh Plate winner, Heathcote’s main concern is the 1350m.
“My query with him is so much the work that he has missed, it is that he hasn’t been successful past 1200m even though he ran fourth in last year’s Stradbroke,” Heathcote said.
Heathcote is also confident that Woorim will step up after putting in some below average performances, but fears his chances will be dampened if the expected rain arrives.
“I can forgive his last two runs. After his disappointing run in the George Ryder we had him scoped and found that he had a virus which caused inflammation of the airway.”
“And I was very happy with his run in the BTC Cup, he put in. Damian Browne got off and said he peaked on his run about 100m out but that was because he was underdone and that run will top him off nicely for this race.”
“If the rain comes his chances diminish.”
While Heathcote was impressed with Pampelonne’s runaway win in the $500,000 Inglis 3yo Guineas (1400m) at Scone last week, he said he still has to prove himself against the older horses at weight for age.
BTC Cup winner Sea Siren still heads the market order at $4.20 with Buffering at $5.50 with Pampelonne.
Peter Moody’s Mid Summer Music is at $11 ahead of Woorim and the Peter Snowden trained Pinwheel at $14 with last year’s Doomben 10,000 winner Beaded at $15.
