Australia: Osman back quick but Gooree Park Cup distance is ideal

A seven-furlong race is the perfect fit for the Australian gelding Osman, who starts in the minor Gooree Park Cup at that distance at Mudgee Racecourse on Saturday evening.

Osman has won at six furlongs and a mile in his 13-race career, but three of his wins have been at seven furlongs, including his last two starts.

Osman won a handicap at Scone at seven furlongs on April 17 and took a successful jump in class to win at the same distance at Bathurst on April 25.

The Gooree Park Cup will be Osman’s third start in less than three weeks. Osman had three starts in three weeks last August and September, winning the second of those races.

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Currently, Osman seems to be in sharper form than last year for trainer Mack Griffith, who is based at Mudgee. In the Gooree Park Cup, Osman is likely to be prominent from the start, having led throughout at Bathurst, beating How’s It Kev by three-quarters of a length.

Osman, at 6-5, and How’s It Kev, at 3-1, were the first two in the betting for the Gooree Park Cup as of Friday morning. The race drew a full field of 14 and is part of a seven-race program that begins at 10:41 p.m. Eastern or 7:41 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

How’s It Kev, a winner of 4 of 23 starts, had a two-race winning streak end at Bathurst. How’s It Kev won a handicap at seven furlongs on March 19 and at about 6 1/2 furlongs on April 14 at Orange Racecourse. In each of those wins, How’s It Kev raced from a stalking position. He figures to be a major factor from just off the pace in the Gooree Park Cup.

The Gooree Park Cup represents a drop in class for Oakfield Twilight, who won a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse on April 6 but was 13th of 14 against a tougher field in a handicap at seven furlongs on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick in Sydney on April 25.

Oakfield Twilight, an 8-year-old gelding, has won 8 of 57 starts. This will be his first start at Mudgee.

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