Looking Back: 5) Buffalo

                Broadway Buffalo

Broadway Buffalo, ‘Buff’ for short is a 2008 chestnut gelding by Broadway Flyer out of a Le Bavard mare.  David purchased him unraced from Cheltenham sales in December 2011 for £12,000.  He was a horse that took your eye because of his big white face and four stockings but the main reason for buying him was that he was the half-brother to Christdalo, a good mare he had trained for David Johnson.  He looked very much like her and while these looks can put some people off (luckily for us!) that is not something David worries too much about.  Winners come in all shapes and sizes and we knew if he had the temperament of his sister and some of her ability he knew he couldn’t really go wrong at that price!

At the time of buying him, we were on the lookout for a first horse for some rugby lads who had got in touch about looking to own their first racehorse for a bit of fun.  They weren’t just any rugby lads in fact they were international professional rugby stars!  Andy Powell, Mark Cueto and Dwayne Peel were amongst them and they came down to see him at Pond House and bought him.  They then had a dream start to being owners as he only went and won his first five races!

He started off in a Bumper at Worcester in May 2012.  I remember we thought he went okay at home but nothing phenomenal and he was sent off the 5/1 that day in a 16 runner race.  He bolted up by 10 lengths!  After a summer at grass he returned for another bumper at Aintree and won under a penalty.  There were some celebrations this day as the boys were playing for Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons at the time so it was nice a local for them all.  Indeed, Broadway Buffalo went to the Northeast for his hurdling debut in February 2013.  Although his jumping left a little bit to be desired on this occasion he was still a very impressive winner.  He was shaping as a thorough stayer already in his races and he won his next two outings, going up in distance at Warwick and Plumpton.  It was then a bit of a big ask for him as he ran at Aintree, at the Grand National meeting, in the Listed handicap hurdle where he ran okay and finished tenth of 21 runners.

He had his summer holiday that year and is comeback run was in the Silver Trophy handicap hurdle at Chepstow in October.  He ran well off a mark of 140 but things were quite tough for him that season.  He qualified for the Pertemps Final at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival and he ran a cracker in March.  Although he finished eighth he was only beaten 5.5 lengths on good ground which was plenty lively enough for him.  The Racing Post comment reads “stayed on run in, not reach leaders”.  He got a deserved victory in May of that year when he won the valuable long distance handicap hurdle at Haydock, Swinton hurdle day.  He had a run for experience over fences after that and finished second at Wetherby before he went back out to grass for the summer.

He returned in the Autumn to be placed three times over fences in the new ownership of Mrs Jo Tracey.  He pulled up in the Rehearsal chase at Newcastle before bouncing back to get his first chase win in the Tommy Whittle at Haydock with Conor O’Farrell on board.  He was then fifth in the Rowland Merrick and fell in the Grand National Trial chase at Haydock.  He went to the Cheltenham Festival in March 2015 and ran another super race to finish second in the four mile National Hunt Chase.  Katie Walsh rode him this day and he was only beaten 1.5 lengths by the talented Cause of Causes.  He then ran in the Scottish National in April and again ran with great credit to finish sixth, only beaten 17 lengths behind Wayward Prince on ground that was again unfortunately too quick for him.


       BroadwayBuffao after Winning
          the Tommy Whittle Chase

In November 2015 he went to France and ran in a Grade 1 hurdle and Katie Walsh went over to ride.  He finished fifth behind Thousand Stars, again staying on well to the line and beaten less than five lengths.  He returned to Haydock for the Grand National trial again in February 2016 and was second to Bishops Road.  Unfortunately he picked up an injury this day which meant he was off the track and not seen again until December 2017.  He had two runs but was not showing the sparkle of old and his niggling injuries made the decision to retire him a fairly easy one.  He is still enjoying retirement with Rosie Clarke who looked after him in his racing days here, not too far from Pond House. 

Broadway Buffalo won seven of his 26 career starts and was placed eight times, winning over £114,000 in prize money.  Still only 12 now we have no doubt that he could have won more races had injuries not curtailed his career.  We would have loved to have seen him run in the Grand National itself as he looked tailor made for the challenge.  It just shows you once again that you do not have to always spend big money to get a good horse that can give you some wonderful days out.  We can all live the dream.