Jockey Damian Browne cleared Buffering for a return to racing after the star sprinter completed an exhibition gallop at Doomben on Wednesday.
Buffering worked outside stablemate San Jose from the 1000m before increasing the tempo in the last 600m and held a 1-1/2 lengths margin at the end of the gallop.
Buffering winning the Group 2 at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
“It was nice enough work and he only does what he has to without the blinkers on,” Browne said.
“He was loafing a little the last bit of the work but it’s probably what you’d expect at this stage of his preparation.”
Trainer Robert Heathcote plans to fly Buffering to Melbourne next week ahead of his return to racing in the Group One A J Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday week.
Browne was aboard Buffering when the gelding won a Doomben barrier trial on September 3 and again in a jump-out at the same track a week later and is satisfied with his fitness level.
“He didn’t have blinkers on in his trial but he had them on in the jump-out and I thought he went terrific,” he said.
“He feels like the Buffering of old and if he takes the natural progression through to his first-up run then he’s going to take some beating in the Moir.”
While Browne is confident Buffering is on target for the Moir he maintains a healthy respect for the Gerald Ryan-trained Snitzerland, an impressive Rosehill barrier trial winner on Tuesday.
