Rob Heathcote blames slump on stable virus as Buffering attempts to break Group 1 drought again

ON the eve of Buffering's 18th Group 1 attempt, Brisbane's premier trainer has suggested a virus is the reason behind his stable's recent slump.

Hugh Bowman wins on Buffering in the 2012 Moir Stakes.

ON the eve of Buffering's 18th Group 1 attempt, Brisbane's premier trainer has suggested a virus is the reason behind his stable enduring its current horror run in Queensland.

Rob Heathcote has been flying with his runners in the south this spring, but it's a different story on the home front, where a Class 4 event at the Gold Coast is his only winner from his latest 50 runners.

That is extrapolated in the season figures where Heathcote's 13 winners have come at a rate of one in 10, compared to premiership front runner Matt Dunn who is striking at one in three.

Heathcote has eight acceptors at tomorrow's Eagle Farm meeting, most high up in betting, but said there was no way he could have confidence in any of them.

“I think my stable has a virus in it. The last six weeks, I've had too many horses perform poorly,” he said.

“I've spelled Magic In Motion, Excellantes, Pellegrini. They just aren't right.

“It's sort of like a silent menace. There's no nasal discharge, they are working good, but they are just hitting brick walls in the straight.

“Until my horses start winning, I'd be leaving them alone.”

Heathcote said Volkhere (Race 2) is typical of what's happening in Brisbane at the moment.

“He's doing everything right but racing terribly,” he said.

“If he doesn't race well, he'll be on the next truck out of here and will probably have half a dozen mates with him."

“Getting a bug in the stable is hard to get rid of, because horses don't display the symptoms until they are under the bat with 200m to go.”

The trainer is grateful stable stars Buffering, Solzhenitsyn and Fire Up Fifi had left Brisbane before the problem started.

Heathcote has warmed to barrier 10 being a positive for Buffering in the Manikato because he can cruise across at his own leisure.

His bigger fear is the habit his brave gelding has of bringing out the best in others.

“Which one will it be this time?” he said.

“He's done that all his career. Ten Group 1s he's placed in have been damn near career high performances from those that have beaten him.

“From Your Song, to Sea Siren, Foxwedge, even Hay List in the Newmarket under the big weight. Linton in the Stradbroke and then Samaready. He does that.”

Hong Kong raider Lucky Nine is the big unknown for the stable tonight. The Irish-bred sprinter hasn't raced since beating Bel Sprinter by three lengths in March's Singapore KrisFlyer Sprint.

Samaready remains the dominant favourite, having won both her starts off a 12-month break this time in.