It could be a very good couple of days for country trainer Stirling Osland, who saddled his five year-old Bull Point gelding Point Counter Point to win at Canterbury on Wednesday and on Thursday will send out his Kosciuszko contender Golden Point, another son of Bull Point, as favourite at Hawkesbury.
A last start winner of the $55,000 Moree Cup at Tamworth, Point Counterpoint cemented his claims for the $1million Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day at Randwick with a strong finishing win for apprentice Zac Lloyd in the Benchmark 72 event over 1550m.
A $5
6,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Morning Rise Stud draft, Point Counterpoint has made great progress since joining the Osland stable after starting his career in Victoria.
He broke his maiden at Armidale in February last year and has made a rapid rise through his grades winning a Highway event in November last year with his overall record now six wins and five placings from 20 starts with prizemoney just shy of $200,000.
Last preparation, Point Counterpoint was tried over longer trips, but will be kept to shorter distances this time around.
“He’s qualified for the Big Dance on Cup Day, so we always thought we won’t over race him and keep some speed in his legs and keep him to races at a mile as there are plenty of country cup races at that distance as well,” said Osland.
Bull Point has had a run of winners since the start of the season and Golden Point should keep up the good work tomorrow with Zac Lloyd to ride him as well.
Bull Point stands at Kingstar Farm at a fee of $6,600 and is a bargain priced proven son of Fastnet Rock.
