With a spectacular performance in The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, Detonator Jack delivered a second consecutive New Zealand-bred victory in the A$1 million race.
The Chris Waller-trained Kovalica ran out an arrogant winner of the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, with the son of Ocean Park always travelling like the winner from the moment the barriers opened.
An easy win in Saturday’s Gr.3 Toyota Forklifts Frank Packer Plateat Randwick has gone some way towards turning the autumn around for Osipenko, whose connections are still wondering what might have been in last month’s Gr.1 Randwick Guineas.
Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman has won two previous editions of the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) but will be looking to snare his first in a solo capacity when he heads to Randwick on Saturday.
Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Pier will return to New Zealand on Sunday after finishing eighth in the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) won by Osipenko at Rosehill last Saturday.
Smart three-year-old Osipenko put his hand up as an autumn force when he scooted through along the inside to win the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) by a short half-head over Zou Tiger.
