Sword Of Osman (Savabeel x Bunyah) has taken pole position in the race for this season’s champion two-year-old honours.
The slick son of Savabeel went to the top of the juvenile rankings when he produced another powerful front-running performance to win Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie off the back of his runaway success in the Gr.3 Reid & Harrison Slipper (1200m).
Trained by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Sword of Osman has now won three of his four starts with his sole defeat coming in the Karaka Million (1200m).
Autridge said their pre-race Sistema plan was to let the gelding continue his customary pacemaking role and those instructions were perfectly executed by rider Opie Bosson, who had labelled the youngster a special talent before he had raced.
“The whole race he relaxed beautifully in front,” Bosson said. “He changed legs a few times, but he just kept running. He’s very, very good.”
Sword Of Osman had a length and a quarter to spare on stablemate Avantage at the post.
“He’s amazing. He’s like a three-year-old now,” Bosson said. “I can’t wait for his three-year-old career.”
Bred by Joan Egan, Sword of Osman was purchased by David Ellis out of Trelawney Stud's 2017 NZB draft for $165,000. He is the second Group One winner for Trelawney in seven days following Grunt's Australian Guineas win last Saturday. -NZ Racing Desk.
