Sword of Osman Back to Ellerslie

 

 

The Informant reports:

Classy three-year-old Sword Of Osman will return to the scene of his biggest win when he tackles older sprinters in the Listed Hallmark Stud Handicap at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

“They looked great in their gallop and did what we wanted them to do.”

The son of Savabeel won the Gr. 1 Sistema Stakes over the same course and distance last March, handing his star Te Akau stablemate Avantage the only defeat of her career to date.

Sword Of Osman has had an up-and-down spring, winning the Gr. 2 Sarten Memorial but finishing outside the placings in the Gr. 3 Northland Breeders' Stakes, Gr. 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas and Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.

On Boxing Day he will revert to a sprint trip, carrying 55 kilograms against a talented short-course field.

Trainer Jamie Richards sent Sword Of Osman and In A Twinkling to Ellerslie on December 16, producing a stylish exhibition gallop between races.

“They looked great in their gallop and did what we wanted them to do,” Richards said.

“Sword Of Osman has come through that in really good order and seems to be right on target for the Hallmark on Boxing Day.”

He will attempt to become the first three-year-old to win the race, which was formerly known as the Newmarket Handicap, since Marcurous in 2002.

Sword Of Osman also holds a nomination for the Gr. 1 Sistema Railway on New Year's Day, which has had one three-year-old winner in the last 35 years - the filly Bounding in 2014.

The TAB's fixed-odds market for the Railway has Sword Of Osman as a $14 fifth favourite. His stablemate Melody Belle tops the market at $2.80, with Bostonian at $4.50, defending champion Volpe Veloce $6.50 and Princess Kereru $12.

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