Unlucky Buffering unlucky no more as he finally breaks through for first Group 1 success in Manikato Stakes

STAR Queensland sprinter Buffering finally scored at Group 1 level  when a narrow winner in the $1 million Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley last night.

Damian Browne

QUEENSLAND sprinter Buffering finally scored at Group 1 level after 18 attempts when a narrow winner in the $1 million Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last night.

But he had had to defy a strong challenge from Hong Kong star Lucky Nine to do so as he charged at him in the shadows of the post.

Buffering ($7.5) won his first Group 1 race by a short half head over Lucky Nine ($11), with Sessions ($20) a neck away third.

"Eighteen goes, but he's finally got it done. I was beginning to wonder whether he would ever get there," said his trainer Robert Heathcote.

"They all said Lucky Nine was the best sprinter in the world but I've got one better. He's only run a couple of bad races in 35 starts and there were excuses for them.

"They say this is the place where legends are made and Buffering's a legend to me."

Damian Browne

Buffering took the lead in the early stages then let Le Bonsir cross him before again taking the lead with 600m to go.

Buffering's jockey Damien Browne said he was worried near the post.

"The last couple of bounds he had to really fight," Browne said.

The Caspar Fownes-trained Hong Kong star Lucky Nine almost made a winning Australian debut.

Rob Heathcote

His jockey Brett Prebble said he would have done so except he hit a flat spot at the 450m mark.

"He's never done that before. One more bound he would have grabbed Buffering. He's just so courageous," Prebble said.

It was Heathcote's second Group 1 win for the Melbourne spring carnival as he also won the Toorak Handicap with Solzhenitsyn.

The disappointment of the race was Samaready, who was backed last night from $2.25 to $2.15.

She settled well back and then over-raced in the early stages before becoming cluttered up in the field before finishing eighth, beaten one and a half lengths.

Buffering and Lucky Nine will clash in the VRC Classic (1200m) at Flemington on the final day of the Flemington carnival.