Star sprinter Buffering will have some quality opposition in a barrier trial with Group One-winning mare Miss Cover Girl among his rivals.
The 1050m trial will be run between races at Doomben on Wednesday with the hit-out to confirm whether Buffering heads to Melbourne for the Moir Stakes.
Miss Cover Girl, winner of the Tattersall’s Tiara, will be given a strong work-out with trainer Kelly Schweida keen to take her to Sydney for the Group Two Shorts 10 days later.
“If she races well in The Shorts we will then press on to the Premiere Stakes a fortnight later,” Schweida said.
“If she races well in that we will push on to Melbourne for races like the Myer Classic.
“But she will need to be going well for that to happen.”
Damian Browne rode Miss Cover Girl in the Tatt’s Tiara but will be required for Buffering in Wednesday’s trial.
However, Browne will be offered the chance to ride Mss Cover Girl in Sydney.
“Damian doesn’t like to travel all that much but it will be up to him,” Schweida said.
The Schweida-trained three-year-old Oink will head to Sydney midweek for the Group One Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
“A Sydney reporter rang me and asked if we were looking for 1400 metres and I said no we were looking at a share of $1 million prize money,” Schweida said.
“They pay good money back to about 10th and I don’t think Oink will be out of place.”
Fellow trainer Robert Heathcote is looking for Buffering to have a solid hit-out in preparation for the Group One Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 30.
“I want him to have a sound-out. I don’t want a trial where three or four of them lob along and then stretch out in the final 200 metres,” Heathcote said.
He hopes there will be seven or eight runners in the trial and is willing to provide three of his own horses if needed.
