HOW many horses can ever claim to have made a 1000 percent profit for their owners?
One who can is the tough as teak Queenslander Buffering whose win in last weekend’s Group 2 MRC Schillaci Stakes (1000m) saw his earnings eclipse the $2 million mark.
Buffering by Vinery’s the emerging sire Mossman was bought by New Zealand based bloodstock agent Paul Willetts for $22,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.
The Robert Heathcote trained gelding has managed to win 11 of his 28 starts so far highlighted by four Group 2 races and a Group 3.
He has famously placed in a total of seven Group 1 races, many of them unbearably close-up behind Black Caviar and/or Hay List.
Last weekend’s Schillaci Stakes win was in every way the perfect lead in to Buffering’s now more likely than ever Group 1 triumph in the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley seven days from now.
Testament to Mossmans success, despite fewer runners than you’d expect is that one of Buffering’s main rivals in the Manikato Stakes will come from Stirling Grove another Mossman galloper and winner of over half a million.
Heathcote, not one to get ahead of himself, has signalled a willingness to travel to Hong Kong with Buffering for the Sha Tin International Sprint in December.
It is a race that Australian bred gallopers have owned outright with 11 of the 13 winners of the feature being foaled here.
Mossman has sired winners in 11 countries including as far away as the United States where one of his Kiwi-bred gallopers, Hoofit, has made quite a name for himself.
Formerly owned by Sir Patrick Hogan and others, Hoofit left New Zealand with a tremendous resume highlighted by a stakeswin at Ellerslie, two more Listed seconds and a fourth in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at 2.
He opened his account in the USA without delay winning winning bt 5.5-lens on debut before taking out the $175,000 Grade 3 Keeneland Pheonix Stakes (1200m) at his next outing.
Hoofit was in the news again as recently as last weekend when he finished a neck second in the Saratoga Stakes (1600m-turf).
While none of Hoofit’s USA earnings contribute to Mossman’s tally here of course, the Vinery Stud resident is looking set to burst into the top 10 post a forecast Buffering win next Friday night at the Valley.
“Mossman has only had the 88 runners so far this season compared to some of the stallions in the top 10 that have 140 or more,” Vinery’s Conor Phelan explained.
“Exactly two-thirds of Mossman’s starters win and he has 20 stakeswinners and 15 stakes placed from his overall total of 254 winners.
“Things haven’t always gone smoothly for Mossman with the stallion undergoing colic surgery in 2004.
“Despite this set back hes covered a limited book of around 100 mares each year since and breeders are now reaping the rewards. A new phase is about to begin for the son of Success Express with a son of his own at Stud in Love Conquers All” Phelan added.
