Leading trainer Chris Waller will have at least two runners in his bid for a second Randwick Guineas and while he has followed a traditional route with Osipenko, stablemate Manzoice has had a more unconventional preparation.
The latter missed his scheduled return in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m), won by Osipenko, and will go into Saturday’s feature first-up.
Manzoice hasn’t raced since taking out the Victoria Derby (2500m) in the spring but after watching him stretch out in an exhibition gallop between races at Randwick last Saturday, Waller is satisfied the colt has a strong foundation for the 1600m Guineas journey.
“He missed the Hobartville so I just wanted to do a bit of extra work with him,” Waller said of Saturday’s workout.
“He showed his fitness levels are where they need to be to go first-up to the Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas second-up and into the (ATC Australian) Derby.
“He has bulked up and he’ll be sharper than just a Derby horse this prep.”
Osipenko is the stable’s top seed for Saturday’s Group 1 and has drawn ideally in barrier four, the same gate Waller’s only other Randwick Guineas winner, The Autumn Sun, jumped from in 2019.
Both The Autumn Sun and Osipenko claimed the Hobartville Stakes in the lead-up and Osipenko showed a liking for the mile at his only other start over the distance when flashing home for a luckless third in the Caulfield Guineas.
“I think he’s a pretty handy horse and the mile should suit him better,” Waller said.
“The mile was his best run in the spring in the Caulfield Guineas.
“It was a great run the other day (in the Hobartville Stakes) and he’s come through it well.”
Osipenko was also paid up for the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday but was scratched after drawing wide, while Waller’s last-start winner Lindermann remains in the mix for both races, drawing barrier 14 in Melbourne and only marginally better in gate 12 in Sydney.
Ciaron Maher accepted with Holymanz and The Fortune Teller in the Randwick Guineas but after drawing barriers 11 and 13 respectively, they will run in Melbourne from kinder gates in five and six.
