Jockey Damian Browne has described Buffering’s Dubai win as something special but he is already looking to the next Group One assignment in Hong Kong.
Buffering burst onto the international scene when he won the Group One Al Quoz Sprint at the weekend.
Browne arrived in Brisbane early on Tuesday morning and was met by a big media contingent.
“It was certainly right up there in my career. He has been a great horse in Australia but to be able to go over there has taken it to a new level,” Browne said.
“It is a great feather in his cap to highlight an already great career.”
He said there had been a lot of Australians in the crowd and Buffering had received a rousing reception when he returned to scale.
Browne paid tribute to trainer Robert Heathcote’s preparation, right down to walking the track before the race. “In this day and age you need to walk the tracks,” he said.
“I watch Craig Williams and Damien Oliver. When you go to a new place you need to have a look at the track. It is a bit like cricketers looking at the wicket.”
Browne is looking forward to heading to Hong Kong for the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize on May 1.
He rode Buffering when the sprinter ran sixth in the Hong Kong Sprint two years ago.and believes the gelding can better that effort.
“The time he ran on Saturday was outstanding and just outside the course record. I think it means he is up to Hong Kong and the Royal Ascot race in June,” Browne said.
Heathcote is keen to head to Royal Ascot for the King Stand Stakes and Browne will be going along.
“We’ve been together a long time now and he knows when I get on him. It is an honour to ride him,” Browne said.
The jockey was in much better condition than several of the owners who arrived home on the same flight on Tuesday.
“I got away pretty early because I was tired but some of them partied on for a good while,” he said.
