Buffering and Boom to fight out title

They are archrivals on the track and now star sprinters Buffering and Spirit of Boom are set for a battle off it.

Buffering and Spirit of Boom are the leading contenders for the annual 2013/14 Queensland Horse of the Year Award to be announced early next month.

Voting will start soon for the award and lobbying has already begun.

It will be the closest decision in the 40-year history of the award since two other great sprinters, Falvelon and Show A Heart, dead heated in 2002.

Buffering will have a slight edge having had seven starts in Group One company for three wins, a second and three thirds.

Spirit of Boom also had seven starts in Group One company for two wins, three seconds and two fourths.

While Buffering has won an extra Group One race, judges traditionally vote for horses which have won a major race in Queensland.

Buffering has been named champion for the past two seasons and, in the absence of his strongest adversaries, Black Caviar and Hay List, came into his own with wins in the Manikato, VRC Sprint and Winterbottom Stakes.

Spirit of Boom added the Group One Doomben 10,000 to his William Reid victory to press his claims for the prestigious award.

He also finished second to Lankan Rupee in both the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap with the winner now the world’s highest ranked sprinter.

Spirit Of Boom has been retired from racing and will will begin serving mares at Eureka Stud next month while Buffering is preparing for another season on the track.

Adding spice to the title is the rivalry between trainers Rob Heathcote (Buffering) and Tony Gollan (Spirit of Boom).

Gollan, whose father Darryl won the title with Dalrello twice in the 1970s, claimed the Brisbane trainers’ premiership while Heathcote won the state title.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!