“And it is fair to say, anything Chris Waller has in the race is going to be hard to beat,” – Rob Heathcote.
Thankfully the leading Queensland trainer doesn’t have to worry about the record making rival in the Sprint Classic at Flemington tomorrow.
Another group 1 awaits Heathcote’s warrior Buffering although stablemate Solzhenitsyn will run into Waller’s Boban and Sacred Falls in a cracking Emirates Stakes.
“Solzhenitsyn ran a clanger last Saturday in the Mackinnon,” Heathcote said on Friday.
“An uncharacteristic clanger but I’m confident he swallowed his tongue and choked down.
“Now we’ve employed the use of a tongue tie and blinkers go back on. He should find a more genuine race tempo which will suit him better.”
Apart from Waller’s group 1 winners the Emirates includes the Gai Waterhouse-trained Spurtonic and Guy Walter’s last start Crystal Mile victory Toydini.
“My horse has done super, he has 58kg, and in one of best Emirates seen in years he will have to be at the top of his game,” Heathcote said.
Some 45 minutes prior to the Emirates Buffering goes round having collected a maiden group 1 last time round.
“It was enormous,” Heathcote said in regard to the Manikato victory.
“At the end of the day any feature race win is huge but to win after 18 tries, 10 close finishes made it more special.
“Me, I’m a cool bastard, I thought he’d go across the line and I’d give him clap, well, we all went crazy.
“It was the pure emotion of it all, with a horse like him, so close, so many times, made it all the more special.”
The reception, the accolades, have astounded Heathcote.
“What I’ve found most overwhelming is the number of people I don’t know, here in Melbourne, at home, the people were genuinely happy to see the horse reach the top of Everest,” Heathcote said,
“He has been a relatively sound horse throughout his career. I use the analogy it is like getting into the ring for heavyweights, Black Caviar, Hay List, Sepoy, Foxwedge, the crème de la crème, he has got into the ring and gone head to head with them and been consistent.
“Even a lot of hardened, seasoned racegoers, think it is quite extraordinary he has raced at the highest level, 18 group 1s and he is still racing.”
And Heathcote knows what awaits tomorrow.
“A crack field of sprinters, little doubt that Lucky Nine, the highest ranked sprinter currently, is going to be incredibly hard to beat,” Heathcote said.
“However, I’m confident Lucky Nine will know he is in a race with Buffering. Buffering is proven up the straight, a real little bulldog and we believe we have him at the top of his game.”
While Black Caviar, Hay List and co have left the raceday scene plenty more awaits Buffering.
“I am thinking of Royal Ascot next year, but he is going to Perth after this,” Heathcote said.
“I’ve always wanted take him over for the Winterbottom, always thought that would be a nice race for him.
“In the autumn, there is the TJ Smith in Sydney, a couple of races in Queensland and I’m keen to have a look at Hong Kong next year.”
And Heathcote has six horses down to run at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
“I like a little horse called Hopfgarten,” Heathcote said. “He never got a crack at them last start, a horse on the way up with a future.”
By Craig Young
