Take Smokin’ Salmon, a last-start winner at her home track on Wednesday last week.
Osborne was delighted with the win, but handed himself a reality check when he decided the field was not all that flash, so he should not get excited.
Until he realised Smokin’ Salmon has covered the 1006m a full second faster than the horses that won the other two 1106m sprints on the day.
The race replay makes it pretty clear it was a pretty brave ride, with Smokin’ Salmon winning early jostle for the lead and that was the first and last time anyone got close.
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Apprentice hoop Lewis German dictated the pace along the back straight and then upped the tempo coming into the last turn.
One of the better tried horses in the race, she straightened well and German had time for a good peek over the shoulder to see what was going on.
And the sight of three or four wannabe winners starting to line up for a crack German put the question to his horse and she simply took off.
Producing a blistering second wind, encouraged by some vigorous riding, Smokin’ Salmon left acres of daylight between her and the floundering pack.
The favourite, Flying Banjo, was best of the rest, but that wasn’t saying much, and it finished almost six lengths adrift of the winner.
Smokin’ Salmon is a nicely bred horse, sired by Redente, a Redoute’s Choice son, but until this race would have had a question mark over it after being within reach at its first two starts last year and almost six lengths adrift at its only other run this year over 1100m at Wodonga in March.
Osborne said the three-year-old filly was a bit of a training challenge, hampered by her coming into season a lot.
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“We sent her to Wodonga with Ben Brisbourne and really thought she would win but she was in a mood and didn’t want to have a go early on,” he said.
“Wednesday on her home track caught her in a better mood and she showed what happens when she does the right thing.
“Of course with the coronavirus it’s really hard to tell how your horses are going because we can’t trial, but this girl certainly loves the wet tracks.”
Osborne said he now had his sights on a Vobis Gold run at Caulfield on Saturday.
“I guess that will show whether she has really improved or if we are getting a little ahead of ourselves,” Osborne said.
The other big winners on the day were Noel Callow and Logan McNeil, who both rode doubles.
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