The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in The Gong 2023 betting to take out the final $1 million feature of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival this weekend.
Osipenko is favourite to take out The Gong 2023 at Kembla Grange on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
Seven-figure racing in New South Wales for the carnival comes to a close on Saturday with the $1 million The Gong (1600m) headlining the racing action at Kembla Grange Racecourse.
A capacity field of end of year milers faces off in the fifth edition of the event with the latest The Gong odds at Ladbrokes.com.au led by Osipenko at $3.60.
James McDonald partners the entire on 58.5kg from barrier 10 with the horse fifth-up and ready to fire.
He has had a little freshen-up after a disappointing 10th last time out behind last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip in Flemington’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
The run before however he was solid at big odds finishing third behind Mr Brightside over the mile at headquarter sin the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
The former Group 2 winner is down in grade now and should be improving at this distance in Sydney.
The danger occupying the second line of The Gong betting this season is the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained market mover Detonator Jack ($6.50 into $5).
Jason Collett continues associations with the in-form Jakkalberry five-year-old who drew a treat in gate nine.
He is unbeaten at the distance with a two-from-two mile record and will relish coming back to the 1600m off a close last start third over further.
After running second in the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) by a nostril flare two back he was good on November 11 in the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) only a half-length off the winner Unspoken.
Despite a full field only two other The Gong contenders are under double-figures for the win with the 61kg top-weight Cepheus ($7.50) and the Waller-trained Waterford ($7).
The Matthew Dunn-trained Cepheus may be giving all the weight away but he remains a chance in gate four with Nash Rawiller on the in-form Sea The Stars seven-year-old.
The galloper won the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) – $1.5 million Alan Brown (1400m) double at Rosehill earlier this prep before his last start second with 62kg in the $3 million The Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day.
Waterford meanwhile is out to break a lengthy drought chasing his first win since October last year.
The Awtaad five-year-old has been solid this prep coming via the Shannon Stakes (3rd), Alan Brown (9th), Five Diamonds Prelude (3rd), and Five Diamonds (5th).
Other runners at longer The Gong odds chasing an upset include the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Surf Dancer ($12), Communist ($12) in gate five for jockey Rachel King, and Kris Lees’ last start Randwick winner with plenty more weight Loch Eagle ($16).
The Gong 2023 is set to run as Kembla Grange Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s bumper 10-race card with full markets available from Ladbrokes.com.au here.
2023 The Gong Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0234215112 | CEPHEUS (GB) | Matthew Dunn | Nash Rawiller | 4 | 61kg | 111 | ||
| 2 | x9187x0771 | NEW MANDATE (IRE) | Chris Waller | Joshua Parr | 8 | 58.5kg | 106 | ||
| 3 | 51761×5730 | OSIPENKO (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 10 | 58.5kg | 106 | ||
| 4 | 6460x010x8 | SURF DANCER (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 14 | 58.5kg | 106 | ||
| 5 | 1043×20033 | SKYMAN (GB) | Chris Waller | Tom Sherry | 6 | 58kg | 105 | ||
| 6 | 69x04x7604 | KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ) | John O’Shea | Sam Clipperton | 19 | 57kg | 103 | ||
| 7 | 3110×72617 | PALMETTO (NZ) | John Sargent | Koby Jennings | 12 | 57kg | 103 | ||
| 8 | 37160×0008 | COMMUNIST | Michael Freedman | Ms Rachel King | 5 | 56.5kg | 102 | ||
| 9 | 2123×43723 | DETONATOR JACK (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jason Collett | 9 | 56kg | 101 | ||
| 10 | 112x19x007 | BANJU | Lyle Chandler | Ashley Morgan | 20 | 55kg | 99 | ||
| 11 | x520x33935 | WATERFORD (IRE) | Chris Waller | Regan Bayliss | 2 | 54.5kg | 98 | ||
| 12 | 7x593x3001 | WILD PLANET | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tyler Schiller | 1 | 54kg | 97 | ||
| 13 | 85210×5351 | SPANGLER (IRE) | Kris Lees | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 17 | 53kg | 95 | ||
| 14 | x5x6003x05 | ART CADEAU | Terry Robinson | Jett Stanley (a) | 7 | 52.5kg | 94 | ||
| 15 | 5x45137x30 | WICKLOW (IRE) | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 3 | 52.5kg | 94 | ||
| 16 | 377×562064 | CUBAN ROYALE | Robert & Luke Price | Brock Ryan | 13 | 52kg | 93 | ||
| 17e | 8795×96318 | SUPERIUM | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Zac Lloyd (a) | 18 | 52kg | 93 | ||
| 18e | 61250×9931 | LOCH EAGLE | Kris Lees | Reece Jones | 16 | 52kg | 89 | ||
| 19e | 38910×5173 | SUPER HELPFUL | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | 11 | 52kg | 88 | |||
| 20e | 4713164×51 | I’VE BEAN TRYIN’ | Matthew Kelley | 15 | 54kg | 83 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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