Group One winner Sword Of Osman (Savabeel) got the thumbs up from trainer Jamie Richards after a pleasing fresh-up trial at Te Teko on Monday.
In the hands of Opie Bosson, Sword Of Osman contested an open 840m heat and, after settling last and under a tight rein, he was taken to the outside in the run home and was doing his best work over the final stages to finish a close fourth to Stella Noire.
“We were pretty keen to go back off the wide gate today and try and switch him off a bit,” Richards said. “He tracked up nicely into the race.
“He will come back in a fortnight and trial again then we’ll decide whether he goes to the South Island or stays north.”
The winner of last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie, the son of Savabeel is being aimed at the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 10.
“Riccarton is the goal for him and you’d have to be very pleased with how he’s coming up,” Richards said.
Bred by Joan Egan, Sword of Osman was purchased by David Ellis for $165,000 from Trelawney's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier draft. -NZ Racing Desk