Stirling Osland is hoping So You Are can provide him with his first Listed winner before the four-year-old departs his Armidale stables.
The four-year-old gelding has been placed at his past two starts behind the Bjorn Baker-trained Thebudgiesmugla, and Osland revealed So You Are would soon be joining that horse in Sydney.
“He’s heading to Bjorn’s after this start for us,” Osland said.
“He’ll be in Sydney on Friday, have a couple of weeks let up, and then starting with Bjorn as a five-year-old there.
“He’s got to the stage now where he’s a genuine competitor in Group and Listed races every start, so he’s done as much as he can for us and just the travel – he spends 30 hours a month on a float.
“Between driving to Sydney and Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast so coming into spring carnival time, there’ll be a lot of options for a horse like him, we’d spoken to Stewie (Ramsey, owner) that Grafton would be the end of it.”
For Osland, victory in Thursday’s Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) would be the perfect send off for So You Are, who Timeform rates as the best horse he’s trained to date, courtesy of his second placing in the Caloundra Cup last start.
“He’s good as gold, Osland enthused.
“He’s done a lot of travelling but he travels well and he’s come through it nicely.
“He’s probably going as well as ever, he’s always very consistent, through some good races behind a lot of good horses so I think Grafton looks a nice race for us.”
While Osland is happy not to see Thebudgiesmugla in the form guide, he noted the even-money favourite King Pedro was certainly the horse to watch out for.
“The favourite won well in that Winter Cup last start but I think our form is probably more solid than his,” Osland said.
“Probably us and Moods’ horse (Pounding), we were probably on par that day but he scratched.
“He’s drawn well in barrier two, he should get a nice run just behind the speed and I think we’re probably coming out of the stronger form line, he’s been in group or listed his past four starts.
“I think he’s well placed, this is a good finish point for him, to get a Listed winner at Grafton, we spend a lot of time racing there, it’d be nice to top it off.”
So You Are is rated a $7.50 chance for Thursday’s $200,000 feature, which caps off the two-day carnival headlined by the Ramornie Handicap on Wednesday.
