Seconds out: O’Shea ready to land some big blows after near misses

You could forgive trainer John O’Shea for being a tad frustrated after his charges have run found one better eight times in the past couple of weeks, but there is a calm confidence around his stable heading into Saturday’s group 1 Randwick Guineas with Zou Tiger.

The Randwick trainer sets high standards and, with so many seconds, he knows the next winner is just around the corner.

“In the past that would have been something that got to me, but in the spring we had a similar run before we won the Invitation and the Ingham,” O’Shea said.

“We are on track for our best season because we have been winning the right races.

“The stable is going well. It’s just where you want it to be and, with a bit of luck, the winners will come. The results are more of a reflection on where the horses are in terms of their preparation, and it’s something to build on.

“Let’s just say I’m not losing sleep over it.”

O’Shea sits comfortably in the top five prizemoney earning trainers in Sydney this season with nearly $6 million in stakes. Only the big stables of Chris Waller and James Cummings, Everest-winning trainer Clayton Douglas, who returns to Sydney with Giga Kick on Saturday, and Joe Pride are ahead of him.

He won three million-dollar races during the Sydney spring. Only Cummings with five wins has won more at that level.

“We have got the horses to peak and win the right races,” O’Shea said. “Lost And Running, Promise Of Success in the Invitation, and Kirwan’s Lane in the Ingham.

“You work towards these days, and that is what we have been doing with Zou Tiger. He has had the two runs, two very good runs for this target.

“I think he maps really well again on Saturday and we have been really happy with him at home.”

Zou Tiger is another that has had the second bug. He was runner-up in the Eskimo Prince Stakes, where he found Aft Cabin too brilliant, and second again in the Hobartville Stakes, where Osipenko got an inside run to beat him, and he is behind that pair in Guineas betting.

Aft Cabin maintains favourite at $2.60, Osipenko is at $4.80, and Zou Tiger is rated a $6.50 chance, but O’Shea feels it might be his turn.

“Gee, I think that is a good price about this bloke,” O’Shea said. “As I said, he gets the right run again from the gate.

“He is the sort of horse that will win a nice race because he keeps putting himself in the right spot and has his share of talent.

“He is a Golden Rose placegetter already, and the mile has always looked his best trip. We have been building up to this day for a long time.”

The strength of the O’Shea team doesn’t stop with Zou Tiger at Randwick on Saturday. Kirwan’s Lane and Promise Of Success return, and impressive Pierro Plate winner Cafe Millenium takes the next step.

“I put Nash [Rawiller] on Cafe Millenium because he is a good gate jockey, and he can’t give the start he did last time in the Todman against the best around,” O’Shea said. “I think the Golden Slipper winner will run on Saturday.

“Cafe Millenium will be better suited at 1200m, but Cylinder is a really nice colt.”

Quantico joins Kirwan’s Lane in the Canterbury Stakes, and Zoukerino will look to extend an unbeaten first-up record in the Fireball.

“Zoukerino has drawn horribly [in gate 13],” O’Shea said. “I thought Quantico was good last week and is a sneaky hope, while Kirwan’s Lane is back and on his way to the Doncaster.

“I think Promise Of Success finds her right race first up in the Wenona Girl. She’s ticking along well.”

O’Shea might just break his run of seconds in Friday’s Newcastle Stakes with Pizzaro, which was another second for the stable behind Think About It last time out.

“It seems the right form as Think About It and Much Much Better came out and won since,” O’Shea said.

“He is a lovely horse. We get him to group level and have found a good race on a big track, which is important for him.”

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