Jockey Damian Browne insists star sprinter Buffering is at the peak of his powers and can add the Winterbottom Stakes to his growing list of Group One victories.
Browne will ride in Perth for the first time when he is legged aboard Buffering in the Winterbottom and stablemate Fire Up Fifi in the Group One $1 million Railway Stakes (1600m).
Buffering recovered from a setback after finishing second to Samaready in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley in September to win the Manikato Stakes and VRC Sprint Classic at Group One level at his next two starts.
“He’s enjoying his racing and thriving,” Browne said.
“The horse has got the confidence from putting back-to-back wins together which is a big thing.”
Browne said he noticed a change in Buffering’s attitude before the start of the Sprint Classic.
“Going to the start at Flemington he felt as good as he ever has and I couldn’t have been more confident by the time we got to the barriers,” he said.
“He raced exactly the way he felt.”
Buffering has drawn barrier eight in the Winterbottom but Browne isn’t concerned if arch-rival Barakey wants to hold the lead from barrier two.
“It would’ve been handy to draw inside Barakey but, in saying that, Buffering drew out in the Manikato and won so it’s nothing new for him,” he said.
“He’s proven plenty of times in the past that he doesn’t have to lead to win but we’ll see how things pan out once we leave the gates.”
Fire Up Fifi has drawn poorly in barrier 18 for the Railway but Browne said the mare can overcome that obstacle.
“She probably couldn’t go forward from out there but I imagine there’ll be genuine speed which hopefully will break up the field and she can slot in somewhere behind them,” he said.
“The big thing for her is she’s dropping three kilos on her last start which brings her into the race really well at the weights.”