The $500,000 ATC Inglis Nursery RL (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday nearly produced a first stakes-winner for Cosmic Force with the Neil Osborne trained colt Beer Baron running a sensational race on debut to finish a close second to the Maher Eustace entry Odinson and collect the lucrative Pink Bonus.
Odinson had the benefit of race experience having been stakes-placed at Flemington during the spring and he was just a little more seasoned in a thrilling finish to take the win by a neck over Beer Baron.
Tommy Berry partnered Beer Baron, who showed nice ability in a recent Randwick trial behind Breeders Plate place-getter Straight Charge and acquitted himself well despite the disadvantage being caught wide in the run.
"Just the wide trip told the tale in the end, but he's a lovely colt,” Berry said.
Beer Baron was retained to race by his trainer / breeder Neil Osborne and his wife Denise after passing in at Inglis Classic and is a half-brother to Hong Kong winner Royal Racer from three time winner Ice Cold Crownie, who was covered last spring by Tassort.
The connections of Beer Baron won the $200,000 Inglis Pink Bonus for being the first eligible Pink Bonus runner home, which on top of their second-place prizemoney saw lucky owners – trainer Neil Osborne, his wife Denise and their two sons Stuart and Peter - take home $294,000.
“What a huge thrill, the Inglis Pink Bonus is phenomenal,’’ Denise Osborne, who owns 75% of Beer Baron, said.
“This is the first horse we’ve signed up to the Pink Bonus but when I decided to take majority ownership it was a no brainer because it’s such a great concept and such amazing money.’’
Cosmic Force has had six runners with Beer Baron the first stakes horse followed by two time metro winner Devine Force and two more placed runners Full Force and Astra Star.
