BRC to build statue to honour Buffering

A statue of champion sprinter Buffering will be erected at Eagle Farm racecourse.

The Brisbane Race Club is to immortalise Queensland’s most successful Group One-trained horse Buffering with a statue at Eagle Farm racecourse.

The statue will feature the sprinter in full flight with his regular rider Damian Browne aboard.

It will be placed in the forecourt of the new pavilion building on the infield of Eagle Farm and will be a highlight of a new entry to the course.

Unlike many other champion horses to come from Queensland, Buffering was trained by Robert Heathcote for his entire career in the state and won seven Group One races and $7.3 million prize money.

It is a record for a horse trained only in Queensland.

Buffering’s last Group One win was in Dubai in March 2016 and the gelding was retired in October after a sixth in the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley.

He now spends his time between the Living Legends complex in Victoria and his part-owner Bruce Harry’s property near Brisbane.

BRC Chairman Neville Bell said Buffering was the obvious choice for a statue at the new track entrance.

“Buffering is a true-blue Brisbane horse, trained at Eagle Farm and racing here for much of his early career,” Bell said.

“He earned a cult following both in Queensland and in Australia.

Eagle Farm already features the Buffering Bar which is packed most Saturday race meetings by the public.

Heathcote, also a part-woner, said the BRC’s gesture was greatly appreciated by the syndicate of owners.

“He gave us so much pleasure with his racing deeds and our memories will be enhanced every time we pass The Buff’s statue in the infield at Eagle Farm,.” Heathcote said.

The sculptor will be commissioned soon after which a timeline will be drawn up for the completion of the statue.