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The Neil Osborne-trained Beer Baron produced an eye-catching performance on debut 12 months ago is ready to get back to his best form this campaign.

Shayne O’Cass
6 min read
December 14, 2024 - 4:30PM
Beer Baron is produce for a strong performance first-up. Picture: Bradley Photos
Beer Baron is produce for a strong performance first-up. Picture: Bradley Photos

Neil Osborne bred bay Beer Baron makes a long awaited and much anticipated return to racing, 12 months after his near miss is the $500,000 ATC Inglis Nursery at Royal Randwick.

The son of former boom two-year-old Cosmic Force was beaten in his two February outings in the $2 million ATC Inglis Millennium and Canberra Black Opal Preview but with excuses.

The now gelded Beer Baron can win back his own boom should he beat a quality field in the KNK Builders Showcase Super Maiden Plate (1100m).

“He’s been faultless this preparation whereas last preparation he was jacking up and just didn’t want to be there,” Osborne said.

“I sent him to Sydney and had a scintigraphy done. They couldn’t really find anything but they came up with that he had bone bruising so we just gave him plenty of time and he seems to be well over that.

The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!

“His last two runs weren’t an indication of his true ability.”

Once this race is out of the way, and all going well, the bar on Beer Baron’s summer campaign will be lifted.

“There’s plenty of nice races coming up,” Osborne said.

“We could look up north later on or there is a nice Inglis sprint race down the straight at Flemington which he is eligible for the bonus for.”

Beer Baron’s sixth dam left a sizeable impression herself racing at Flemington.

She is none other than the John Hawkes-trained Toltrice whose wins at Melbourne’s headquarters included the 1972 VRC Wakeful Stakes, VRC Oaks double.

Osborne will saddle up a second of his Goulburn string, namely Friskee Frog who resumes in The Country Club St Georges Basin Showcase Maiden Handicap (1200m).

A fourth generation descendant of broodmare gem Easy Date (the dam of Snippets), Friskee Frog has placed at five of his nine starts at distances ranging from 1175m to 1400m.

“I reckon it is a really good race for him,” Osborne said.

“The horse has matured a hell of a lot. He’s a Kermadec and when I took him up north to Coffs Harbour and that, he was still very immature.

“He’s probably half the horse again to what he was up there, type-wise.”

Osborne is one of the sport’s true all-rounders.

Not only does he train horses, he breeds them and very successfully too.

The master of Mane Lodge at Sutton in the Yass Valley has been breeding and selling horses for decades.

His first Mane Lodge draft was offered at the Inglis Summer Yearling Sale in 1970.

Osborne’s nursery reached an epic high point at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale when their Extreme Choice - To Dubawi Go colt sold for the sale-topping price of $825,000 to Newgate Farm.

That horse is Make A Call who was runner-up in the Fernhill, third in the Black Opal and fourth in the Breeders’ Plate.

Osborne will be on deck at Riverside for the 2025 Inglis Classic starting on February 9 with three lots set to go under the hammer.

The trio are all fillies by William Reid Stakes winner and I Am Invincible son, Hellbent.

One of the trio, Lot 729 is a half-sister to the aforementioned Make A Call.

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 2 No. 12: Holy Hell

Well-bred filly who finds the ideal set of circumstances to kick off with a win.

NEXT BEST

Race 8 No. 7: Point And Shoot

Placed twice in town from only four starts. Has the talent.

VALUE BET

Race 7 No. 9: Associate

Barnstorming galloper who sent out all the right signs first-up in a recent Highway.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 9, 10

Race 6: 1, 3, 6, 12

Race 7: 1, 9

Race 8: 2, 5, 7, 14

Winona Costin looks a great chance in the Jockey Challenge. Picture: Getty Images
Winona Costin looks a great chance in the Jockey Challenge. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Winona Costin will be popular with punters in the TAB Jockey Challenge.

INSIDE MAIL - NOWRA

RACE 1

Royal Bombadier has only won once in 14 starts but boasts some deep form including a fifth to Ballroom Bella early on but better yet, a third to Private Harry and Dark Glitter last start and both of them won their next starts. Gerry Harvey’s I Am Invincible son Twin Telepathy won by four at his first run for Joe Cleary in a 1000m Super Maiden at Queanbeyan on November 29. Can keep progressing. Princess Vittoria is getting close.

Bet: Royal Bombadier to win

RACE 2

Holy Hell is a Champion Thoroughbreds/Danielle Seib filly on debut. First off, the trials are better than they look on paper and the way she has gone about things, 1400m on debut looks perfect. Drawn well, gets 3kg off in a fairly moderate line up. Maktabi was beaten at Cooma last start but go back to the start of the prep and he was runner-up, three times in a row, in better maidens than this one. Beograd Boy has finished second twice at this track and distance.

Bet: Holy Hell to win

RACE 3

Proud Image is the on top pick if she comes. If not, going to go wide with Madame Rupee, the Robert and Luke Price-trained half-sister to their The Gong winner, Count De Rupee. Must admit, the two runs back this preparation are underwhelming but she’s got a good gate, a good jockey and is a Kembla winner beating her stablemate, Fugitiva. Mooshaka won back-to-back races prior to a fading ninth of 12 at Canberra last start. Has the right draw and in well after the claim.

Bet: Proud Image to win or if scratched Madam Rupee each-way

RACE 4

Djapana is trained by Hall Of Famer Clarry Conners who has found a very suitable race for this son of the underrated stallion, Overshare, bearing in mind that both of the horse’s wins are at 1600m like this race. On top of that, Djapana is second-up and way down in class compared to what he raced in at Newcastle first-up. Juliette’s Joy is another Gerry Harvey/Joe Cleary co-production. Drawn very well indeed and should be at her absolute peak. Noble One and Where Is Ken have claims.

Bet: Djapana to win, quinella 7, 8

RACE 5

Puntin is a Super Seth grandson of an influential broodmare named Subterfuge. Born and raised at the famous Haunui Farm in New Zealand. The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding looks a real bargain at $60,000 (Karaka). Drawn to win. Bella Corazon has some pretty good form for a Nowra Maiden. She was beaten only four lengths by Hayasugi in the Blue Diamond Preview. Friskee Frog has been consistent all the way through. Long Time Lovers wasn’t bad in a good maiden first-up.

Bet: Puntin to win

RACE 6

Smarter Than You who has finished a close runner-up at both starts this preparation under the management of Canberra trainer Todd Smart. One was a pretty strong Benchmark 58 on Hair Of The Dog day at Gundagai, the other a Benchmark 66 so he should feel very comfortable in this style of race. Nick Olive trained galloper Exceedingly Hot is a first-up winner who is trialling well. Easy to like now after drawing barrier 2 and with the claim. Galston Gorge, Ken’Ker and Rangitara are all among the chances.

Bet: Smarter Than You

RACE 7

Associate would be a worthy participant and a good chance in either The Big Dance or the Little Dance with that big finish of his that makes him purpose built for Royal Randwick. On his day, there are not many horses, at this level anyway, that can hold him off when he winds-up and hits top speed. He’s ready and able to win this. Super Helpful was third in The Big Dance in 2023 and has been either ‘good’ or ‘unlucky’ in the time since. Has the monster rating against these others. Hollywood Hero has a favourable alley.

Bet: Associate to win, exacta 9 to beat 1, quinella 1,0

RACE 8

Point And Shoot wears the famous Harry Perks colours; think Gold Guru and also the family members Serious Speed, Majestic Music and one of the fastest horses you would ever see, Victory Chant. Could be saved for Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Miss Jones has trialled up extremely well. Majorca Sunset is a spectacularly well bred gelding by The Autumn Sun gelding out of a Deep Impact mare; wow. Ran well on debut and trialling up a treat. The gelded Beer Baron is back and apparently in great order again.

Bet: Point And Shoot to win or if scratched Majorca Sunset to win and Beer Baron to place

NOWRA

BEST BET

Race 2 No. 12: Holy Hell

Well-bred filly who finds the ideal set of circumstances to kick off with a win.

NEXT BEST

Race 8 No. 7: Point And Shoot

Placed twice in town from only four starts. Has the talent.

VALUE

Race 7 No. 9: Associate

Barnstorming galloper who sent out all the right signs first-up in a recent Highway.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 9,10

Race 6: 1,3,6,12

Race 7: 1,9

Race 8: 2,5,7,14

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Winona Costin will be popular with punters in Sunday’s TAB Jockeys Challenge

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