Classy three-year-old Buffering and stablemates Woorim and Our Lukas are back in work with premier trainer Rob Heathcote who hopes to claim his first Group One success during the Brisbane winter carnival.Buffering returned to Heathcote's stables last week after pre-training at Washpool Lodge outside Brisbane but won't be rushed into a late autumn carnival campaign in Sydney.Buffering, the winner of six of his 11 starts, hasn't started since finishing fourth to Star Witness in the Group One Coolm

Classy three-year-old Buffering and stablemates Woorim and Our Lukas are back in work with premier trainer Rob Heathcote who hopes to claim his first Group One success during the Brisbane winter carnival.

Buffering returned to Heathcote's stables last week after pre-training at Washpool Lodge outside Brisbane but won't be rushed into a late autumn carnival campaign in Sydney.

Buffering, the winner of six of his 11 starts, hasn't started since finishing fourth to Star Witness in the Group One Coolmore Stud (1200m) at Flemington in October.

It was the second time Heathcote earned Group One prizemoney during the spring following Woorim's third to Response in the Sir Rupert Clarke (1400m) at Caulfield in September.

Woorim, who was also placed at Listed level at Flemington last spring, will be given his chance against the country's best sprinters in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June.

He earned his time in the paddock after a five-race campaign in Melbourne culminating in his last-start failure on a heavy track when he tailed off last to Poor Judge in the Group Three Chatham Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 30.

Our Lukas, winner of the past two Ipswich Cups and the Seymour Cup last October, is being readied for the Group One Doomben Cup in May.

Heathcote has been training for almost 12 years but his best successes to date have been at Group Two level with Buffering in last year's Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and Funtantes in the Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Doomben in 2009.

"Buffering had a good spell which he needed after the spring," Heathcote said.

"He's come back a lot bigger and stronger and has matured a lot physically."

Heathcote is considering a number of paths to take with Buffering in the winter.

"I've got a couple of options with him," he said.

"He could kick off in the Listed Bribie Handicap at Eagle Farm in April and then head to the Group Two Victory Stakes at weight-for-age at Eagle Farm in April.

"That race could open the door for him to the (Group One) BTC Cup.

"The other path is he could resume in a three-year-old set-weights race in mid-April which looks attractive as he could still go to the Victory Stakes and BTC Cup."

Heathcote is delighted with Buffering's growth spurt during his layoff.

"He's only got to find a couple of lengths on his spring form to be a genuine Group One performer," he said.

"He's already shown me he's got the quality and ability."