ROB'S SHOUT - BUFF AND SOLZHIE MADE IT A MEMORABLE WEEK-END FOR MY STABLE
By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, October 4, 2012
Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO.
What a week it has been! For me, a memorable week with Buffering winning on Friday night at Moonee Valley in Melbourne and then Solzhenitsyn running a blinder on Sunday at Caulfield to pick up a Group 1 placing in the Sir Rupert Clarke.
The industry itself has had its share of controversy with the very contentious issue concerning the suspension of Damien Oliver for going … of all things, too slow too quickly … and of course the sad saga of Danny Nikolic receiving a couple of years on the sidelines for his ongoing stoush with officialdom!
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Little Buffering once again proved he is the 'real deal' with a very gutsy win in the Group 2 Moir stakes. Just another example of why this horse deserves a Group 1 next to his name! The irony of course being that the race he won, the AJ Moir stakes, has been elevated to Group 1 status for next season!
Just another Group 1 that has slipped through his fingers through fate I guess.
It was a fantastic night of racing theatre and wow, do they know how to do it at the Valley with the night racing! So close to the action, a vibrant atmosphere and great facilities. They sure do it right. Throw in the top quality racing and it certainly made for an enjoyable night.
Sure Buffering winning created an enormous feeling of wellbeing for the connections and a fair degree of relief from myself.
It was a big ask to go into the race first up at weight-for-age without a trial but he did just enough to win. You could argue that Moody's runner up was unlucky but it is was about time little Buff had something go his way. They runner-up is Queensland owned as well so I will be cheering for them down the track … of course when I don't have one in the race!
Yes, it was a feeling of relief as they went over the line which quickly turned into a 'stunned' relief for me as one of Buffs owners gave me a bear hug in exuberant celebration and his shoulder nearly knocked my front teeth out. Little wonder his nick name is 'Slugger'.
Good on ya Sam. I was spitting out blood moments before I had to speak live on air. Like I said, it was great theatre and I can laugh now as the swelling has subsided.
Buffering knew he had run a big race. He was simply too fresh which is why he fluffed the start a bit, jumping into the air and when Hughie had to kick him up to hold onto the good gate position, he really got chugging into the bit and he never really settled and got into his usual rhythm at all … which suggests he is going to take enormous improvement out of the race.
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Part of the reason I moved his racing schedule forward to the Moir was the fact that his second Hong Kong vaccine was due on the Monday after the race.
Unfortunately it hammered Buffering a bit and he was decidedly off colour on Monday and Tuesday. Melissa was quite concerned and the vet spent quite some time with the horse to monitor his progress.
I had a very sleepless night on Monday and Tuesday night, but the awesome news is that he has bounced back brilliantly on Wednesday morning as the vet had hoped and he seems fine now, nice and bright and cleaning his feed bin out.
He worked on Thursday morning and Mel said he came off the track bucking and squealing so he’s back to feeling great again. Phew … what a relief!
As I write this I am still very hopeful he can line up in the Schillaci Stakes on the 13th at Caulfield. It's back to a 1000m so having a quiet week isn't too much of a concern for his fitness levels.
Mind you, there will be a number of blood tests and daily vet checks before the green light is given to run him in the sprint and I am going back down to supervise his gallop next Monday/Tuesday and spend the day with him to check his recovery.
If we have to, we can miss the Schillaci and go straight onto the Manikato on the 26th which is his primary goal now anyway, so no chances will be taken to have him spot on for that night!
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Hugh Bowman is the consummate professional and he gave Buffering a faultless ride. It was nice to spend a bit of social time with Hugh after the races at the well-known 'Jacks Satay bar'. Hugh has basically committed to Buffering for the entire spring and we are happy to have him on.
I am still undecided where we go after the Patinack.
The Perth option is still attractive and we have left the option open for a trip to Hong Kong now that he has had the appropriate vaccinations.
Unfortunately it will have to be one or the other. A horrible thought eh? It's great to have a horse good enough to have to ponder that dilemma!
I still remember Ronnie Maund once saying to me as he rolled along on the awesome ride that Gold Edition gave him … he said "every trainer deserves to get a real good horse at some stage in their career as it's a phenomenal
experience.” I am slowly beginning to understand what Ronnie meant and I am hoping our ride with Buffering is still only just beginning as he is only five-years-old!
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Some celebration drinks in the director’s bar after the Moir win and we walked outside into the night air just as Pierro was thundering into the Moonee Valley straight. Like I said … an awesome racing theatre indeed.
Is he the best three-year-old in the land? YES. Can he win the Cox Plate? Still a huge maybe for me as he will be taking on some crackers and there is still a ways to go but who could possibly doubt Gai? She is a marvel and fantastic for the industry.
So You Think did it! Is Pierro as good as him at the same stage?
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Track work on Saturday morning was 'fun' after the buzz of Friday night. Oh, and thank you to those who sent the many, many texts of congratulations for Buffering’s win. I am finding that he is a popular little racehorse and a lot of people seem to be really 'rooting' for the little bulldog!
Maybe because he's such a tough little battler who's played second and third fiddle to the two stars for so long?
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After an enjoyable Saturday afternoon watching the footy in a local pub and attending to the three boys at their Flemington stables, we buttered up again for the races at Caulfield on Sunday for Group 1 racing with Solzhenitsyn.
I still had a few reservations whether he is indeed up to Group 1 class and he needed to prove that to me!
He sure did that with a fantastic run. The track favoured the on speed runners so his effort to come from just back of the speed to run third was great.
The jockey was delighted with his run and he had no hesitation in asking for the ride on Solzhie in the Group 1 Toorak in a fortnight and then the horse will go onto the Waterford Crystal mile and then maybe the Emirates!
Solzhenitsyn has pulled up really well from his run and whilst the Toorak will surely be a much tougher race on Saturday week, especially with More Joyous there, our lad has now proved he can certainly be competitive.
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Caulfield has fantastic public and members amenities which was even further emphasized when Josh Rodder from the Melbourne Racing Club kindly offered us a table in the exclusive Winning Post lounge due to a late corporate cancellation.
It certainly helped top off a great weekend of racing for us and on top of that, my wife and Melissa's (my stable foreperson’s) mum (Marj) jagged a big trifecta using names only!
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This coming Saturday will be another huge day of racing at Flemington. More Group racing and my stable has a runner in the Group 2 Gilgai. Wow, the quality of this race could easily pass for a Group 1 sprint with Snowden, Moody, Kavanagh, Waterhouse, Price and Gollan nominated.
Excellantes will realistically have to find three lengths improvement on his best form to compete at this level. He is down in Melbourne primarily on the recommendation of James McDonald who won on him during our Brisbane Winter Carnival.
He said he might make a lovely straight track horse so he is certainly thrown in the 'deep end' in this race on Saturday up the famous straight 6 at Flemington.
I will be happy to see him race competitively and run through the line. I think there is a race for him during the spring but it will probably be a lesser quality race like the 1200 sprint on Cup day or even the Perri Cutton at Caulfield.
I believe he has earned the right to have a crack in Melbourne though. Time will tell I guess if he can match the current success of his two travelling companions.
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Damien Oliver was suspended for 11 meetings at last Friday night's meeting for a breach of the rules in that he was deemed to have excessively slowed the speed. I was very surprised to see he copped such a severe penalty where a reprimand would have been more appropriate. The appeals panels obviously agreed as well as Damien had the penalty quashed.
Maybe the stewards have indeed achieved the desired result anyway in that a clear message has been sent to the riders. In fact, I see it so many times here in Brisbane and whilst it can be considered a tactical advantage for the leaders to walk the field and sprint home, it sure does get frustrating when the races lack a genuine racing tempo.
I do not know what the solution is but I am certainly in favour of the stewards questioning riders when races are run at farcical speeds. Maybe there should be time parameters used as a guide for races over specific distances. Hard to police I know but yes, time for the message to get out there about pulling the brakes on up front!
I am sure punters want to see races run at more genuine speeds than the many sit and sprint races that get dished up each week so they can get a better handle on the form lines. I know as a trainer what's more preferable.
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Whilst the disqualification penalty of two years for Danny Nikolic may not be the final chapter in this sad affair, it may well be the final chapter in Danny's riding career.
It's well known that Danny has always had to battle with weight issues and two years on the sidelines will make it extremely difficult for him to come back. Maybe not impossible, but the penalty may effectively bring his highly successful career to an end.
What a shame as the latest penalty comes at the end of a string of offences in which Nikolic has displayed contempt for authority, two of which have resulted in fines of $10,000 and $2,000 and substantial sentences.
Danny has had a long-running history of confrontation with the chief steward but, rightly or wrongly, full respect must always be given to the office of stewarding and it's clear Dan has failed to do that with disastrous consequences.
The disqualification means Danny cannot ride in races and is barred from entering licensed premises, including racecourses or racing stables. It effectively means the jockey with his weight issues is unlikely to ride again.
It's such a waste as Dan is an extraordinary talent. I personally know Dan who has ridden for me in the past and he is normally, a very likable guy.
What a damn shame and I think the Victorian Police program slogan against drunk driving applies here … 'Bloody Idiot'!
Regards,
Robert
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