Things are looking up for Australia’s International Sprint contender Buffering with trainer Robert Heathcote confident he will line up at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Buffering did not venture out on the track on Wednesday after being fitted with a new shoe on a troublesome foot.

Alarm bells sounded on Tuesday when the gelding was found to have a foot abscess but a day later Heathcote was reassured by his progress.

“It’s all good now. He is 95 per cent,” Heathcote said.

“This time yesterday he was five out of five lame.

“He’s got a new plate on now but we didn’t work him because we didn’t want to get any dirt in it.

“We’ll give him light work tomorrow and I will ask the Hong Kong Jockey Club whether we can give him a bit of a gallop on the outside track on Friday.

“He came to Hong Kong as a fit horse and I’m optimistic he will be OK.”

The winner of four Group One races in Australia, Buffering finished fourth in last month’s Darley Classic behind top sprinters Terravista, Chautauqua and Lankan Rupee before heading to Hong Kong.

His opposition on Sunday includes top irish sprinter Sole Power, second in the race last year.

Trainer Eddie Lynam watched him canter on the all weather track on Wednesday.

“Sole Power lost a little more weight on the flight over than we would have liked but I’m happy enough with him,” Lynam said.

“I’d say we’re hopeful about Sunday’s race. The draw will be important and he’s a come from behind sprinter so we’d like to see a good even pace.

“The race looks to be more open this year without Lord Kanaloa and Sole Power will be there doing his best.

“I have watched the trial race and it’s hard to work that race out. There were a number of hard luck stories, I think, and I don’t rule out the other Irish horse Gordon Lord Byron either. There are a lot of horses with chances.”

Article from justhorseracing.com.au