AS if he needed to do any more, Mossman gelding Neeson confirmed trainer Joe Pride’s opinion that he shapes as a ‘Stradbroke horse’ in 2011 after another dominant performance at the 1400m.
Neeson, backed by punters to start $3.20 favourite, proved a league above a dozen others in a hotly-contested Group Three AJC Tramway Handicap on Saturday.
Neeson’s 1.8-lens win at Randwick was his second at 1400m, having thrashed his rivals when posting a 4.5-lens win in the Hawkesbury Guineas.
Pride said Neeson will race next in the Group II Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill in a fortnight as a final lead-up to the Group I Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 2.
“It’s been my plan to go to the Epsom at his fourth run in,” the trainer said. ”There is the option of running him in the George Main Stakes (September 25) if I feel he needs another run to be at his peak for the Epsom.
“But after his win in the Tramway, I doubt he will need that extra run. The Shannon Stakes should have him fit and ready for the Epsom.”
Neeson has now won seven of his 15 starts and earned over $480,000.
BUFFERING’S GROUP STATUS IN THREE STATES
QUEENSLAND gelding Buffering has been earning plenty of frequent flyer points this campaign and banking fistfuls of prizemoney for his owners at the same time.
The son Mossman opened his spring preparation with a brave win at home at Eagle Farm under the 59.5kgs steadier.
A quick trip down the Pacific Highway ended with a 0.2-lens second in the Group Three AJC Up and Coming Stakes (1200m) behind Blackball.
Then it was off to Melbourne for last Saturday’S Group Two MRC Danehill Stakes (1200m) where he ran second again to a Darley colt, this time in Soul.
Both horses could easily meet again further into the spring should Buffering’s trainer, Rob Heatchote, target the Group One MRC Coolmore (1200m) on Derby day at Flemington.
