Sword of Osman - Exhibition Gallop

Group One winner Sword of Osman (3 g Savabeel - Bunyah, by Distant View) pleased Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards with his exhibition gallop between races on Saturday at Matamata.

A nominee for Champion Two-Year-Old, won by stable-mate Avantage (Fastnet Rock), after winning the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Matamata Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m), he returned to winning form as a three-year-old in the Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) and freshened since the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) in November at Riccarton.

“He's probably more of a sprinter and he'll resume in the 3YO 1200 metres on 13 January at Ellerslie, onto the Mongolian Khan Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Karaka Million night, that we won last year with Melody Belle, and all going well he could then progress to the weight-for-age sprint on February 9 at Te Rapa.

“He seems to be coming up well and Opie was happy with the exhibition gallop, so we look forward to seeing him back in action because he's a pretty smart galloper at best.”