Osborne Bulls‘ quest for an elusive Group One win continues in the All Aged Stakes with trainer James Cummings saying the sprinter is in better shape than his most recent start.
The Godolphin gelding has run second in three Group One races this autumn, going down by a nose in the Lightning Stakes won by In Her Time before his runner-up finishes behind Sunlight and Santa Ana Lane in the Newmarket Handicap and TJ Smith Stakes respectively.
Saturday’s All Aged (1400m) is the final Group One race in Sydney for the season with Osborne Bulls’ supporters making him the $2.70 favourite.
“I think he might be fractionally better again this week than when he went into the TJ Smith.,” Cummings said.
“It’s fair to say he’s won more races on the dry, but more prize money on the wet.”
“You can’t be unhappy with his form in shorter races this time and he’s had three starts at 1400 metres including at Group One level in the Rupert Clarke.
“In my mind he’s a six-furlong horse with the ability to be competitive at seven furlongs.
“The All-Aged stakes is a race that has been won by some very good Group One sprinters, so there’s every reason to think he’ll run well.”
Osborne Bulls finished fourth in the Rupert Clarke Stakes in the spring with the race won by the Charlie Appleby-trained Jungle Cat.
It is the English-based Godolphin trainer who could again be the sticking point with D’bai, a last-start winner at Meydan to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy who combined with Appleby and Cross Counter to win the Melbourne Cup.
D’bai has settled well at Canterbury Racecourse which is used as a quarantine centre for overseas horses and McEvoy has given him a work-out.
The five-year-old was unplaced twice last year in races won by Jungle Cat and more recently was placed twice at Group Two level before his 1400m-win in Dubai.
He is at $6 with Pierata splitting the Godolphin pair at $5 as he tries to cement his place at stud with a Group One victory.