Premier Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote has reached another milestone with a double at the Sunshine Coast taking his career tally to 1000 winners.
Damian Browne, who rode Darley filly Earthquake to win Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield, returned to Queensland on Sunday to partner Kaiser Franz and Val de Torres for Heathcote.
Since he began training in 1997, Heathcote has won five Brisbane premierships but is having to battle this year as he trails Matt Dunn and Tony Gollan by 2.5 winners.
Heathcote said it was obviously pleasing to reach such a milestone at a track where he has had many winners.
Stable flag bearer Buffering won a jump-out at Doomben last week and will have another hit-out next week before he heads to Sydney where his main aim is the $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes.
The six-year-old came into his own over the spring and summer, winning three Group One sprints after a frustrating couple of years earning minor prize money behind Black Caviar and Hay List at the highest level.
Buffering has not raced in Sydney since October 2010 when he won the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes and ran second in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes.
Browne has ridden Buffering to all three of his Group One victories and partnered him in his latest work-out.
