Hay List’s regular jockey Glyn Schofield will partner Queensland hope Buffering in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.
Leading Brisbane trainer Rob Heathcote pounced on Schofield’s services after Buffering’s regular rider Larry Cassidy incurred a careless riding suspension at Doomben on Wednesday.
Schofield was set to partner Hay List had Gosford trainer John McNair decided to tackle the $1 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) with the gelding.
However, the decision was taken from McNair’s hands when Hay List suffered a foot injury and then a bout of colic which forced him to miss the Group One Doomben 10,000 last Saturday.
McNair eventually decided to pull up stumps for the Brisbane winter carnival and ordered a spell for Hay List.
Cassidy was suspended for seven meetings, to take effect after Saturday’s Queensland Oaks meeting, until June 15 after pleading guilty to causing interference on Kiwi stayer Fives’A Diamond in the B105 Three-year-old Handicap (2220m).
Stewards alleged Cassidy allowed his mount to shift in passing the post the first time causing interference to Big Max, ridden by Jason Taylor.
Big Max struck the heels of another runner and almost fell.
It’s the second successive year Cassidy has been forced through suspension to miss the Stradbroke Handicap meeting, which also features the Group One TJ Smith and Group One Queensland Derby.
Buffering has blown out to a $31 chance in latest Stradbroke markets with TAB Sportsbet behind ruling favourite Sincero at $5.50, who is set to make his first Queensland appearance in Saturday’s Group Two QTC Cup (1300m).
Buffering scored a brilliant first-up win in the Group Three Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on April 30 before finishing a game third to the world’s best sprinter Black Caviar in the Group One BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben a fortnight later.
The three-year-old was then slow away when he tailed off last behind Beaded in last week’s Group One Doomben 10,000 (1350m).
The Doomben 10,000 was the first time Buffering had race beyond 1200 metres.
AAP TURF
