The immediate racing future of star Brisbane sprinter Buffering will be decided in an upcoming public hit-out.
Buffering was injured when unplaced in the Group One Chairman’s Prize in Hong Kong in May, raising talk of retirement.
The nine-year-old gelding, who recently won his fifth straight Queensland Horse of the Year Award, has been back in Robert Heathcote’s stables for the past six weeks.
The trainer is hopeful Buffering will stand up to another campaign and says the signs are positive.
“He is going along OK but I will get a better idea when we give him a jump out-or trial on September 6,” Heathcote said.
“At this stage we are looking at the Moir Stakes (September 30). It is the perfect race for him but I will let him tell me he is right to go.”
“The Moir looks like being one of the races of the spring with several of Australia’s top sprinters already targeting it.”
Buffering has won three of the past four runnings of the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley and finished second to Samaready in 2013.
Heathcote is confident jockey Damian Browne will also be back in time to partner Buffering on Tuesday week.
“He has had his holiday so I am expecting him to be ready for Buff,” Heathcote said.
Browne took a month off at the end of the season and recently returned from a cruise with his family.
The season has started well for Heathcote who has a one-win advantage over Tony Gollan who has won the past three Brisbane trainers’ premiership.
Jopa’s Doomben win on Saturday gave Heathcote his ninth metropolitan winner since August 1.
