The Sword Cuts Through

Sword of Osman (2 g Savabeel - Bunyah, by Distant View) bounced into Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) calculations following an impressive debut win in the $20,000 NZ Bakels 2YO Premier 1100 metres on 23 December at Awapuni.

With five horses already in contention for the Million: Al Hasa (Exceed and Excel), Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Pinot Grey (Burgundy), Irish Cream (O'Reilly), and Dublin Rose (O'Reilly), the addition of Sword of Osman further strengthens the hand for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards.

Te Akau principal David Ellis said he planned for Sword of Osman to contest the $1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) on 27 January at Ellerslie, without another race in the interim.

“He's got enough prize money, so he'll go straight into the race, but we will take him up to Ellerslie beforehand and give him a gallop on the course,” he said.

Purchased by Ellis for $165,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, prepared by Trelawney Stud for breeder Joan Egan, Sword of Osman went to the races without a trial but gave owners in the Te Akau Great Sword Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) no cause for alarm.

“On 19th December last year I inspected the yearling draft at Trelawney Stud and I sent Joan (Egan) a text as a left, saying: “I've just seen a top horse for the future, one that you've bred. He's been beautifully prepared and if ever I've seen a racehorse in the making it will be him,” Ellis said.

“Joan is a breeder that punches well above her weight. Every year she breeds a good horse and she only has a few foals each year, so obviously she is doing the job right - doing the research and using commonsense with her pedigrees - and when you see her brand (J beside L over E) on a yearling it gives you extra confidence.

“We brought him back to Te Akau Stud to syndicate and he was one of the last horses that we fully sold and I've said before that sometimes the last to sell have ended up the best.

“Jonathan Scully, the general manager of Valachi Downs, was looking for a nice horse for his parents (Gerry and Judy) to have a share in and I told him there was a share left and if he wasn't a good horse I'd be very surprised. And it's always a thrill when a studmaster looks at all the people buying horses and chooses Te Akau to put their family in to.

“He's got some terrific owners and the boys have liked him from the first day of breaking him in. And once he arrived at the stables, Jamie phoned me and said: “Gee, that's a great looking horse that you've bought”.

“Steve and Jamie have done a great job training him and about a month ago Opie (Bosson) rang me to say he'd ridden him in work and was very impressed. He said: “He's magnificent the way he works, and his attitude'”, and he said “he'll be a good horse, for certain”.

“It's an unbelievable effort to take a horse to the races without a trial, be so confident and have them win like he did. And when you've got two great judges like Jamie and Opie making those comments, then you know you've got a good horse in the making.”

On the bridle and in front for rider Michael McNab, Sword of Osman travelled best turning for home, had the race in the bag soon after and won easing down by three lengths.

A half-brother to stakes' placed debutante Fortaleza (Darci Brahma) and talented galloper Arundel (Duke of Marmalade), Sword of Osman was confidently bet to start $1.85 fixed odds favourite ($1.70 on the tote), and ran the 1100 metres in 1:05.0.

On inspection, commentator Tony Lee said: “He's got a bit of quality about him, the X factor, no public trials but I heard as soon as the book (fixed odds) opened $3k went on at $4.20, so he must go okay.”

Ellis said if everything went to plan, Sword of Osman could also contest the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) on 10 March at Ellerslie, and the $225,000 Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 31 March at Awapuni.

Sword of Osman was strapped by Meg Lambert.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz