The Caulfield Guineas might have been the race that got away for Osipenko, but trainer Chris Waller will give the colt every opportunity to claim a Group 1 win this autumn.
The three-year-old will kick-start his preparation in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday and while Waller is not anticipating a triumphant return, he does believe Osipenko is primed for a fruitful campaign.
“I wouldn’t expect him to win over 1200-metres, but he has come back well,” Waller said.
Boasting a debut victory over subsequent Thousand Guineas winner Madame Pommery as a two-year-old, Osipenko returned in the spring with an unplaced performance behind Aft Cabin in the Guineas Prelude at Caulfield.
That was on a heavy track and in atrocious weather conditions and Waller felt it proved detrimental at the horse’s next start in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas where he was a fast-finishing third to Golden Mile, beaten a half-length.
“The jockey couldn’t even see (in the Guineas Prelude), that run probably cost us winning the Caulfield Guineas,” Waller said.
“The Randwick Guineas is his target.
“He did run third in the Caulfield Guineas and he has come back well.”
A field of 10 will tackle the Eskimo Prince Stakes, headlined by Aft Cabin, who will be having his first start since winning the Guineas Prelude, his spring carnival subsequently cut short by a bleeding attack.
Golden Rose placegetter Zou Tiger also adds intrigue, particularly with the booking of gun English jockey Tom Marquand.
A frequent visitor during The Championships in recent years, Marquand has plundered a trio of local majors aboard the brilliant Addeybb to become somewhat of an adopted Sydneysider.
He returns on Saturday to start a 10-week summer/autumn stint and along with Zou Tiger, Marquand has been booked for three other rides at Randwick, including stakes-winning colt Zulfiqar for James Cummings in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1000m).
