MOSSMAN galloper Buffering will pit his talents against some of the nation’s best three-year-olds in the Group Three AJC Up and Coming Stakes (1200m) in Sydney on Saturday week after a comprehensive win at Eagle Farm yesterday.
The crack Queenslander was first-up carrying topweight of 59.5kgs on the heavy track yet still managed to lead from start to finish holding a comfortable 1.3-lens gap on his rivals.
It was Buffering’s fifth win in six starts.
The Robert Heathcote-trained gelding was third behind Pressday in the Group Two BRC Champagne Stakes (1200m) prior to his let-up.
”I was reluctant to start him with 59.5 kilos on a heavy track first-up but in the end I had no alternative,” Heathcote said.
”But it helps when you have a rider like Glen Colless on them.
”It was a big ask for him to carry that weight first-up and any horse who can do it must be above average.
”He’ll go down now and run in the Up And Coming Stakes and the series of races for three-year-olds.”
Heathcote refused to rule out extending Buffering’s spring campaign to Melbourne for a possible tilt at the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby Day, October 30.
