Buffering booked a Group One Stradbroke Handicap start in June with his Group Two Victory Stakes win at Eagle Farm but first there will be a clash with champion Black Caviar next month.Trainer Rob Heathcote's dream of winning his first Group One edged a step closer when Buffering produced a stunning all-the-way win at his first start in six months in Saturday's 1200-metre feature.Buffering even caught jockey Larry Cassidy by surprise when he led throughout to down Group One The Galaxy winner Ato

Buffering booked a Group One Stradbroke Handicap start in June with his Group Two Victory Stakes win at Eagle Farm but first there will be a clash with champion Black Caviar next month.

Trainer Rob Heathcote's dream of winning his first Group One edged a step closer when Buffering produced a stunning all-the-way win at his first start in six months in Saturday's 1200-metre feature.

Buffering even caught jockey Larry Cassidy by surprise when he led throughout to down Group One The Galaxy winner Atomic Force by 1-1/4 lengths.

Toowoomba sprinter Azzaland filled the minor placing a further 1-1/2 lengths away.

Heathcote is not afraid of taking on Black Caviar in next month's Group One BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben but conceded he'd only be running for second prizemoney.

"It'll be nice to have a runner on Black Caviar day," Heathcote said.

"He can't beat Black Caviar but we'll go there next.

"The winner of this race today is exempt from a ballot for the Stradbroke so he's straight into the Stradbroke now and that is his goal."

Heathcote has a strong team gearing up for the winter carnival but Buffering is easily the stable flag-bearer.

The son of Mossman, who won the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes at Randwick in October, had to overcome a recent setback before notching up his seventh win in 12 starts.

Cassidy was dumbfounded by Buffering's performance after such a long layoff.

"What he did today was well above my expectations," Cassidy said.

Buffering, whose campaign was set back following a recent foot abscess, had not started since finishing fourth to Star Witness down the Flemington straight in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in October.

"He's proven he's a Group One performer and he's a very good three-year-old," Heathcote said.

"The knockers will probably come out now and say he got away with a soft run in front.

"But the Galaxy winner (Atomic Force) came at us yet we still pulled away."

Atomic Force's rider Glen Colless told connections he thought he had the race won halfway down the straight.

The five-year-old's syndicate manager Dean Watt refused to knock Buffering's win but believed the Queenslander got a soft lead.

"We gave the race to the winner when there was no tempo on," he said.

"The opposition let him get away with soft sectionals."

Watt is unsure whether Atomic Force will join Buffering and Black Caviar in the BTC Cup.

"He might go to the BTC Cup next but there's a nice race for him on Scone Cup day," he said.

"He could even go for a spell."