Buffering settles in for Hong Kong assignment

THE rock star treatment afforded to Queensland sprinting idol Buffering now extends to his travel.

THE rock star treatment afforded to Queensland sprinting idol Buffering now extends to his travel.

Apart from the pilots, a small crew and his handler Mel Sharpe, Buffering was the only item on the Boeing 777 from Dubai which landed in Hong Kong on Thursday.

“Can you believe that? It was his stable crate, a couple of suitcases, a handful of people and that was it on this great big plane,” trainer Rob Heathcote said.

Buffering’s stable crate on the flight from Dubai to Hong Kong.

Sharpe reported Buffering handled the flight with his usual composure and blood tests taken on arrival by the Hong Kong Jockey Club vets showed the eight-year-old to be in perfect health.

“He will just have a couple of quiet days in the quarantine centre and settle in,” Heathcote said. “I get there on the 19th of April and he will have a couple of strong gallops to have him spot on again for the race on May 1.”

Buffering will be joined in the quarantine centre by Chautauqua, who is not scheduled to arrive until 10 days before the $HK10 million Chairman’s Sprint Prize.

Connections are hopeful Buffering can be a special guest of the Brisbane Turf Club, perhaps on Stradbroke Day, after he returns to Australia and completes his quarantine in Melbourne.

â–  RACING Queensland stewards have disqualified Mount Isa trainer Patrick Inwood for two years in relation to animal welfare issues for horses in his care. Plans have been made to relocate the horses to another stable.

Rich Enuff in dual state joint venture

FORMER top class three-year-old sprinter Rich Enuff has been secured in a partnership deal for Queensland’s Glenlogan Park Stud, where he will stand for $13,750 this year.

He will then transfer to Victoria’s Woodside Park in 2018 as the two studs enter a joint venture with the stallion.

Rich Enuff is a son of Written Tycoon, who produced the Golden Slipper winner Capitalist from his lone season at stud in Queensland.

Written Tycoon’s fee has been boosted to $49,500 this year off the back of Capitalist’s success.

Glenlogan’s Steve Morley noted Rich Enuff was a Group 2 winner, just as his sire and grandsire Iglesia were.

Originally published as Buffering settles in for Hong Kong assignment