Champion trainer Chris Waller has a great record in the Group III ATC Frank Packer Plate (2000m) and he won it again Randwick on Saturday with quality Pierro colt Osipenko.
Winner of the Group II ATC Hobartville Stakes at his second run back from a spell, Osipenko has been against the A graders at his last two starts finishing seventh to Anamoe in the Group I ATC George Ryder Stakes and a brave sixth in the Group I ATC Doncaster Mile to Mr Brightside.
Back to his own age for this assignment and stepped out to 2000m for the first time, Osipenko found all things to his liking and duly forged clear under Nash Rawiller to post a comfortable length win over Pericles.
“The thought process for today was about where we head in the spring, which is what we are always looking towards, the future,” said Chris Waller, explaining how an elevated temperature on the morning of the Randwick Guineas had left the colt with a less than ideal preparation.
“That was frustrating, but we’ve looked after him and ran well on a wet track in the Doncaster and he’s bounced today with a good win so we can go towards the spring and say look here’s 2000m and we can run it and there’s some great 2000m races in the spring.”
Nash Rawiller was happy with Osipenko and he too believes the son of Pierro can be a force in the spring.
“He was the best of the three year-olds in the Doncaster and today has ticked another box with the 2000m, so he should come back to bigger and better things,” Rawiller added.
With three wins and two placings from just nine starts, Osipenko has already won nearly $800,000 in prizemoney with more to come.
A $160,000 Karaka Book 1 purchase for Kaha / Chris Waller Racing from the Valachi Downs draft, Osipenko was bred by Kevin Hickman and is the first winner from stakes-placed import Raskova (USA), a half-sister to US stakes--winner Dogtag from the family of champion sires Shamardal and Street Cry.
Raskova was sent back to Australia last spring and was covered again by Pierro, whose progeny were in keen demand at the recent Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where 21 of them sold for an average $305,000 and sold for up to $1.7million.
