Talented five-year-old Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro) showed he’s still got it with a well-deserved victory in the Listed January Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
While racing well, the Chris Waller-trained Osipenko hadn’t won since taking out the 2023 Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).
One of four winners for James McDonald, who was back riding at a Sydney Saturday meeting for the first time since Everest day in October, Osipenko sat third in the run and was presented rounding the home bend, going on to score by 1-1/4 lengths over Converge (Frankel) with the winner’s stablemate Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) another three lengths in arrears after being forced to change course in the straight.
Osipenko was the third leg of a treble for Waller after earlier wins with Wodeton (Wotton Bassett) and Tajanis (Australia) but the champion trainer wasn’t on track to celebrate, leaving stable representative Charlie Duckworth to articulate McDonald’s genius.
“It seems effortless for him at times,’’ Duckworth said of McDonald.
“He’s incredibly balanced in the saddle and also he has that balance in his home life which is important.
“James can come to work every day with a clear mind and do what he has to do.’’
Duckworth admitted the gelding had lost his way since showing considerable promise as a younger horse.
“He was competing at Group One level as a three-year-old and we thought he could win a Caulfield Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m),” Duckworth said.
“But it’s taken a while to get him back to form and we have tried different things with him since having the horse gelded.
“We tried a couple of times to ride him up on the speed, get really aggressive with him and try to coax the best out of him but that didn’t work.
“Eventually, Chris decided to go back to basics, just leave him alone, took the head gear off and let him be a horse again and he’s enjoying his racing.”
Duckworth said there had been encouraging signs in recent starts that Osipenko was regaining his desire for racing including a narrow last start loss in the Summer Cup.
“Osipenko has been getting better every time this preparation,” Duckworth said.
“He’s been knuckling down and trying hard which we needed him to do because the talent has always been there.”
Bred by the late Kevin Hickman, Osipenko is by Pierro and was purchased out of Valachi Downs’ 2021 Book 1 draft at Karaka by Guy Mulcaster on behalf of Chris Waller Racing and the Kaha Syndicate for $160,000.
His dam Raskova, a stakes-performed daughter of Henrythenavigator, is from the family of champion sires Shamardal and Street Cry.