The fitness levels of Buffering have convinced trainer Robert Heathcote the horse can secure an elusive Group One win in the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Buffering has been placed seven times in Group One races throughout his career and is seeking his first success at the elite level in the Manikato.

So far this spring Buffering has won the Group Two Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and the Group Two Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.

"The improvement he made from the Moir to the Schillaci was quite noticeable and I still think there's more left in the tank heading back to the Valley on Friday night," Heathcote said.

"No sooner had Hugh Bowman gone for the whip in the Schillaci than he immediately put it away because Buffering was responding to everything that was being asked of him.

"When Hugh jumped off him in the enclosure after the race he said straight away the horse had improved five lengths from his win in the Moir."

Buffering will be matched with stablemate Excellantes in a 1000m hitout at the "Breakfast with the Best" trackwork session at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning.

"They'll work over 1000 metres, coming home a sharp 400 which should top him right off for the Manikato," Heathcote said.

"Melissa Leitch rides him in all his work and knows him better than anyone. She told me he feels strong and is doing everything right."

Toorak Handicap winner Solzhenitsyn handled his first trackwork test at Moonee Valley comfortably last Thursday and will have another course proper workout on Tuesday before Saturday's Group Two Crystal Mile (1600m).

"A lot of people have been asking why we didn't pay up for the Cox Plate but we've deliberately taken a conservative approach with him," Heathcote said.

"There's nothing wrong with races such as the Emirates on the last day of the Flemington carnival and we may even look at the Railway in Perth with him."