Still smarting from a missed opportunity in the Randwick Guineas, there was some consolation for Chris Waller as Osipenko rounded out his autumn with a victory in the Frank Packer Plate.
Osipenko had been favourite for the Group 1 Guineas before his scratching on race morning due to an elevated temperature and while Saturday’s win won’t have the same impact on his stud value, it at least proved the colt could run 2000-metres.
“I was gutted we didn’t get to that Randwick Guineas,” Waller said.
“The temperature on Randwick Guineas morning was hard to take for my team, and for the owners and we probably still haven’t recovered in terms of his value.
“He’s shown today he can also run 2000-metres, so he’s been a Hobartville winner over 1400 and a Frank Packer Plate over 2000 metres and he’s ready to go to the next level.
“The boys and girls at home say he’s a Group One horse in waiting so he’ll get his turn in the spring.”
In a beautifully orchestrated ride, Nash Rawiller settled Osipenko at the tail of the field and kept one of his main rivals, Williamsburg, pocketed to his inside until halfway up the straight.
He then stoked up the $1.90 favourite to set out after Pericles ($2.80), who had surged to the front, and Osipenko stretched out resolutely to chase down the Godolphin three-year-old and score by a length with Williamsburg ($7) making some late headway when finally clear, another half-length away.
Waller said Osipenko would be spelled before embarking on an ambitious spring in which the Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick was likely to be an immediate goal before a decision was made on whether to target the Golden Eagle (1500m) or Cox Plate (2040m).
“Modern day plans are mapped around two races, the Cox Plate and the Golden Eagle,” Waller said.
“The Golden Eagle is on his home track but it’s very deep into the spring, will he still be as sharp is my question.
“Maybe we target an Epsom and tick that Group One box, and then pick one of those two races.”
