With Brisbane horseman Robert Heathcote confirming the non-acceptance of topweight Buffering from Saturday week’s Stradbroke Handicap 2014, weights for the Eagle Farm classic out today are set to go up half a kilo.

Mossman six-year-old Buffering has run in the past three Stradbrokes, carrying 58kg for the past two years.

Since last year’s edition of the $1.36 million Group 1 AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), running on June 7 this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, however the local champ has won three Group 1s interstate.

The handicapper then handed down 59kg for Buffering to carry when Stradbroke Handicap weights were released this morning.

They will all be raised by 0.5kg however with Spirit Of Boom to carry the required maximum of 58kg with Buffering out.

Heathcote confirmed ‘The Buff’ would be sent to the paddock ahead of a likely spring return and bypass the Stradbroke after running third for the third time on the trot this season last weekend in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m).

“The bottom line is the Stradbroke is a handicap and he will get 59 kilograms. He can’t win it with that weight,” Heathcote told AAP this morning.

“Buffering has been beaten at set weights twice by Spirit of Boom but I will have to give him 1.5 kilos.

“He is getting to an age where we have to manage his career and what is the point of sending him around in a race he can’t win.

“And if Srikandi runs in the Stradbroke he would be giving her anything up to eight kilos.”

Buffering’s Doomben 10,000 loss followed thirds behind Lankan Rupee in Sydney’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Famous Seamus when run down in similar fashion to their fading 10,000 run in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) back home on May 10.

Doomben 10,000 winner Spirit Of Boom meanwhile is currently allocated 57.5kg for the Stradbroke, up to the 58kg topweight without Buffering.

Trainer Tony Gollan is yet to confirm 100 percent whether his star Sequalo six-year-old will run their swansong in the Stradbroke before retirement, but it looks likely they will line-up.

A dual Group 1 champion after the weekend having also won Melbourne’s William Reid Stakes this preparation, Spirit Of Boom is current $6.50 third pick in futures Stradbroke Handicap betting.

Stradbroke Handicap odds are led by Srikandi at $4.60 with her Victorian trainer Ciaron Maher confirming connections would pay the $23,000 late entry this week.

The three-year-old Dubawi filly has won six of her seven race starts to date including three Black Types on the trot in Queensland.

Her most recent run was on 10,000 Day when the easy winner of the Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) proving the 1400m of the Stradbroke would be a non-issue.

Not being currently nominated for the Stradbroke, Srikandi is without a weight allocation for the major.

It has been indicated though she’ll get in on the 50.5kg minimum, something that will help jockey Glen Boss decide whether he stays on her or on Gary Portelli’s Sydney raider Rebel Dane.

Boss was also aboard California Dane four-year-old Rebel Dane at Doomben last Saturday where the equal favourite ran a luckless fourth, in the end beaten only three quarters of a length, in the Doomben 10,000 behind Spirit Of Boom.

They have been allocated 56kg for the Stradbroke Handicap and are the $6 second pick in the markets.

Following the top three heaviest weighted in the Stradbroke handicaps are then the likes of BTC Cup winner Famous Seamus, Chris Waller’s reigning Tatt’s Tiara winning mare Red Tracer, Gollan’s 10,000 runner-up Temple Of Boom and the Joe Pride-trained Tiger Tees all on 55.5kg.

The best fancied of those in the Stradbroke markets is Red Tracer paying $12, an equal price as Darley’s improver Knoydart who gets in on 53kg.

The John O’Shea-trained More Than Ready gelding ran fifth in the Doomben 10,000 beaten under two lengths with improvement likely over more distance.

The other best fancied Stradbroke nominee is then Red Tracer’s stable mate, the fellow Waller-trained mare Catkins at $10.

She’s currently allocated 53.5kg for the big one, the Dubawi four-year-old last seen running sixth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 19.

Other notable Stradbroke Handicap-bound sprinters and their weights include Phillip Stokes’ Adelaide raider Hucklebuck ($13) and Group 3 Fred Best Classic winning three-year-old Havana ($16) both on the 50.5kg minimum, and Jason Coyle’s Doomben 10,000 sixth placed Scream Machine ($16) with 52kg.

Upset The Goodwood winner Smokin’ Joey meanwhile has been given 55kg just ahead of Natalie McCall’s Sunshine Coast galloper River Lad (54.5kg) who won the Group 3 BRC Sprint on May 17 and Hot Snitzel (54kg).

See below for the original Stradbroke Handicap 2014 weights that will be raised when Buffering is officially withdrawn at first acceptance stage this Wednesday.

In the meantime, check out the juicy early Stradbroke Handicap betting markets online at Ladbrokes.com.au who are offering Best Tote or SP + 20% on all the Brisbane Group 1s this carnival.

2014 Stradbroke Handicap Weights

Eagle Farm Racecourse – 07/06/2014

#	Horse	Trainer	Weight
1	BUFFERING	Robert Heathcote	59kg
2	SPIRIT OF BOOM	Tony Gollan	57.5kg
3	REBEL DANE	Gary Portelli	56kg
4	FAMOUS SEAMUS (NZ)	Noel Mayfield-Smith	55.5kg
5	RED TRACER	Chris Waller	55.5kg
6	TEMPLE OF BOOM	Tony Gollan	55.5kg
7	TIGER TEES (NZ)	Joseph Pride	55.5kg
8	SMOKIN’ JOEY	Wez Hunter	55kg
9	RIVER LAD	Natalie Mccall	54.5kg
10	HOT SNITZEL	Gerald Ryan	54kg
11	CATKINS	Chris Waller	53.5kg
12	CONSERVATORIUM	Gary Kennewell	53.5kg
13	HOWMUCHDOYOULOVEME	Con Karakatsanis	53.5kg
14	PLATELET	Darren Weir	53.5kg
15	BELLTONE	Kelso Wood	53kg
16	DRIEFONTEIN	Gai Waterhouse	53kg
17	KNOYDART	John O’Shea	53kg
18	AERONAUTICAL	Lionel Cohen	52.5kg
19	BENNY’S BUTTONS	Kelso Wood	52.5kg
20	COMMANDING JEWEL	Leon Corstens	52.5kg
21	COUP AY TEE (NZ)	Chris Waller	52.5kg
22	HONORIUS	David Payne	52.5kg
23	MALAVIO	Steve Englebrecht	52.5kg
24	PAGO ROCK	David Hayes	52.5kg
25	SCAPOLO (NZ)	Kevin Myers	52.5kg
26	UNPRETENTIOUS	Nikki Burke	52.5kg
27	AKAVOROUN	Ciaron Maher	52kg
28	ARINOSA	Chris Waller	52kg
29	BELLE DE COEUR	Luke Price	52kg
30	BENNETTA	Grahame Begg	52kg
31	BLACK CASH	Kelly Doughty	52kg
32	BUAKAW	Matthew Dunn	52kg
33	BYMONASHEE	Brian Smith	52kg
34	CHINTZ (NZ)	Joseph Pride	52kg
35	CHOICE BRO	John Sargent	52kg
36	DOLLY DOLLY (NZ)	Brian Smith	52kg
37	DOUBTFILLY	Stuart Kendrick	52kg
38	EMBLEMS	John O’Shea	52kg
39	ESSAY RAIDER	Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas	52kg
40	FIRE UP FIFI	Robert Heathcote	52kg
41	FLORIA (NZ)	Peter G Moody	52kg
42	FULL OF SPIRIT	Peter G Moody	52kg
43	HENWOOD (NZ)	John Sadler	52kg
44	HIDDEN WARRIOR	Gordon Yorke	52kg
45	KAYPERS	Greg Bennett	52kg
46	KINGDOMS (NZ)	Brian Smith	52kg
47	LONHSPRESSO	Darren Weir	52kg
48	LUCKY HUSSLER	Kent Fleming	52kg
49	MASTHEAD	Chris Waller	52kg
50	MISHANI STEALTH	Les Ross	52kg
51	MISHANI WARRIOR	Les Ross	52kg
52	OFFICE BEARER	Peter G Moody	52kg
53	PERON	John P Thompson	52kg
54	PICKABEE	Caitlin Lavin	52kg
55	PLATINUM ROCKER	Simon A Miller	52kg
56	PLUCKY BELLE	Peter G Moody	52kg
57	REPARATIONS	Anthony Freedman	52kg
58	ROLLOUT THE CARPET	Jeff McVean & Emma-Lee Browne	52kg
59	RUGGED CROSS (GB)	Chris Waller	52kg
60	SACRED STAR	Tony Pike	52kg
61	SAID COM (NZ)	Chris Waller	52kg
62	SALUTER	Robert Heathcote	52kg
63	SCORPIO QUEEN	Kris Lees	52kg
64	SCREAM MACHINE	Jason Coyle	52kg
65	SOMEDAY	Kelso Wood	52kg
66	STARTSMEUP	Bruce W Hill	52kg
67	STEEL ZIP	Pat Duff	52kg
68	THAT’S THE ONE	Barry Baldwin	52kg
69	THE WHITE HOPE	Matthew Dunn	52kg
70	TOUGHER THAN EVER (NZ)	Chris Waller	52kg
71	TROMBONE ALLEY	Alicia Willick	52kg
72	TURBULENT JET	Lee Curtis	52kg
73	TYPHOON RED	Kevin Kemp	52kg
74	VAIN QUEEN	John Sadler	52kg
75	VELROSSO	Chris Waller	52kg
76	VINTAGE MOSS	John M Fitzgerald	52kg
77	YOU’LL NEVER	Chris Waller	52kg
78	AGADIR	John O’Shea	50.5kg
79	BEAUTY’S BEAST (NZ)	David Greene	50.5kg
80	DOTHRAKI	Gerald Ryan	50.5kg
81	ENQUARE	Jason McLachlan	50.5kg
82	FAST ’N’ ROCKING	David Hayes	50.5kg
83	GREGERS	David Hayes	50.5kg
84	HAVANA	Paul Messara	50.5kg
85	HOPFGARTEN	Robert Heathcote	50.5kg
86	HUCKLEBUCK	Phillip Stokes	50.5kg
87	INTO THE RED	Kelso Wood	50.5kg
88	JAZZ SONG	Mick Price	50.5kg
89	KRAFTWERK	Troy Corstens	50.5kg
90	LONDEHERO	Matthew Dunn	50.5kg
91	MINIATURE	John O’Shea	50.5kg
92	MISS SUNSET	Liam Birchley	50.5kg
93	NICKED AND COURT	Liam Birchley	50.5kg
94	OLYMPIC ANTHEM (NZ)	Robert Heathcote	50.5kg
95	RUDY	Helen Page	50.5kg
96	SIR ANDREW (NZ)	Richard Otto	50.5kg
97	SPLENDORA	Matthew Dunn	50.5kg
98	SPY DECODER (NZ)	Anthony Cummings	50.5kg
99	THE QUARTERBACK	Robbie Griffiths	50.5kg
100	WHISKEY ALLROUND	Tony Gollan	50.5kg