Giga Kick precedent has connections making Everest case for Ozzmosis
Field endorses syndicator Darby’s bid for Heritage Stakes winner to make field for next month’s $20 million race at Randwick
The comparisons between unbeaten colt Ozzmosis (Zoustar) and last year’s Everest (1200m) winner Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) are irresistible for connections as they attempt to gain a start in Sydney’s $20 million showpiece.
Stallion kingmaker Henry Field, whose Newgate Farm and China Horse Club partnership bought into the Darby Racing-owned Ozzmosis after the three-year-old’s second start, declared the non-black type Everest as “a super Group 1” and that he had no qualms about the untapped colt being thrown into the sprinting cauldron at Randwick on October 14.
The Bjorn Baker-trained Ozzmosis, who made his mark as a late autumn two-year-old with two decisive victories, returned on Saturday at Rosehill with a dominant Heritage Stakes (Listed, 1100m) performance at just his third start, coming on the same day that defending Everest champion Giga Kick was ruled out for the spring with torn gluteal muscle.
The Heritage Stakes was won two years ago by Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), who subsequently ran ninth second-up in The Everest, but bounced back to demolish his three-year-old rivals two weeks later down the Flemington straight in the prestigious Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
While Baker was non-committal about Ozzmosis joining stablemate Overpass (Vancouver) in The Everest immediately after his brilliant colt’s Heritage Stakes success, syndicator Scott Darby put it firmly on the agenda.
There are five slotholders yet to reach a deal with the owners of Australia’s premier sprinters less than three weeks out from the race.
The James Harron syndicate was dealt a blow after news broke of Giga Kick’s enforced spell and Chris Waller Racing is this year left without the stable’s go-to sprinter, the recently retired Nature Strip (Nicconi), while studs Yulong, Godolphin and Coolmore are also yet to show their hand.
Field, who joined forces with Greg and Barb Ingham to secure a $700,000 Everest slot and has already sewn up the Joe Pride-trained dual Group 1-winning sprinter Think About It (So You Think) as his representative, yesterday endorsed Darby’s Everest pitch for Ozzmosis.
“It would be an identical preparation to Home Affairs, who won the Heritage, ran in The Everest when things didn’t go his way, and then he went on to win the Coolmore,” Field told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.
“He’s an untapped, unbeaten three-year-old and Giga Kick was unbeaten going into last year’s Everest.
“He’s a horse who is rated very, very highly by Daniel O’Sullivan, he’s the reason that we bought into him, and I think he could be the right three-year-old to go to The Everest this year because he fits that profile in what is a very strong, but open race.”
Baker and Darby believe Ozzmosis can continue his rapid rise, with his trainer deliberately not overdoing his build-up, the colt having had just one quiet barrier trial leading into the Heritage, and Newgate Farm principal Field suggests a tilt at The Everest would be a great platform to boost his profile as a potential stallion prospect.
“For perspective, Everest day is on par with the Golden Slipper and the Cox Plate and that horse, he’s had seven starts or trials and he’s never been beaten and he’s improving every time,” he said.
“I’d say if he gets a slot he’ll justify the (slotholder’s) cost … and I can tell you now, we’ve already taken our slot with Think About It, he’s equal favourite (with I Wish I Win), but if we hadn’t got Think About It we’d pick up Ozzmosis in a heartbeat.”
Bred by China Horse Club, Ozzmosis was bought by Darby Racing for $250,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale through the Sledmere Stud draft.
His younger brother, the now two-year-old Olufsen, was retained by China Horse Club after being passed in at this year’s Gold Coast sale, while his yearling half-brother by Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) was also retained after he was also passed in at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
A “flying” Think About It, who has won nine of his ten starts for Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds, will resume in Saturday’s Premiere Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick as his Everest entree.
Godolphin’s most likely Everest contender is In Secret (I Am Invincible) – fourth in The Shorts (Gr 2, 1100m) second-up behind Private Eye (Al Maher), Overpass and Buenos Noches (Supido), the latter confirmed on Friday by TAB as its slot representative. Hong Kong’s champion rider Zac Purton is reportedly booked to ride four-year-old In Secret at Randwick.
Reigning Golden Slipper champion Shinzo (Snitzel), owned by the Coolmore colts syndicate who also raced Home Affairs, was touted as the international stud’s most likely Everest runner for this year, but he was found by veterinarians to be two out of five lame after the Golden Rose when ninth, beaten two and three-quarter lengths.
Team Coolmore will meet with Shinzo’s trainer Chris Waller today to learn more about the colt’s prognosis, but initial feedback suggests the three-year-old will not have any long-term issues.
“He was noticeably lame when he pulled up, as reported by the stewards, and he was still a little on the touchy side this morning,” Coolmore’s racing and bloodstock manager John Kennedy said yesterday.
“He bruised the back of his heel, so it’s more of a management issue, thank God, and it doesn’t seem to be anything too sinister, but it’s sore and it’s going to take a little bit of time to come out.
“We won’t know what our future plans are yet until we look after the horse first and follow him closely for the next few days.”
Friday night’s AJ Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at Moonee Valley, headlined by five-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), could also have an impact on Everest markets.
Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis and senior trainer Mark Walker have so far rebuffed overtures from slotholders for their valuable sprinter Imperatriz.
On Saturday, Ellis again indicated connections planned to focus solely on the Melbourne spring with the five-year-old mare, a winner of 14 of her 20 race starts and almost $1.9 million in prize-money.