Hunter jockey Ben Osmond relieved after breakthrough city success

The 25-year-old Newcastle-based jockey took Kazou, the $3.30 favourite trained by leading NSW trainer Chris Waller, to the front in the last at Rosehill on Saturday, a benchmark 78 handicap (1200m).

Carrying 58 kilograms with Osmond's 3kg claim, Kazou pinched a gap at the top of the straight before holding out fast-finishing stablemate Able Willie on the line.

It was Osmond's second Sydney winner but first on a Saturday. His other victory was on Cheerful Legend midweek on the Kensington track in August last year for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle.

Apprenticed to top Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, Osmond has been race riding for three years and was glad to finally grab a Saturday win in town after a few placings.

"It was mainly relief I reckon, just to get that first one done," Osmond said on Sunday.

"It did kind of go to plan. I got to the front a lot easier than I thought I would, then I just tried to back it off a little in the middle stages, and it gave a good enough kick up the straight."

Now with 55 career winners, Osmond was eyeing another crack in Sydney at Randwick next Saturday, where he had four or five rides already lined up.

"I'm loving it at the moment," he said.

"I don't have any real set goals, just keep trying to find that next winner.

"I got into it late. I'd never done anything with racehorses until I was 19, 20, but I did grow up on a farm and had a bit to do with horses before then with eventing and rodeos and stuff like that.

"I just jumped in the deep end and went from there. I thought I'd just give it a go.

"I started out at Kris Lees' pre-training farm at Ellalong, then I went down to Ron Quinton for a year or so and did my trials with him.

"Then I was at Todd Howlett's when I started race riding, then Kris Lees'."

Osmond, who has just begun the last year of his apprenticeship, said he got plenty of messages congratulating him on Saturday's win.

Waller stable representative Damien Fitton said on Saturday that it was "a terrific ride by Ben".

"We gave him strict instructions, make your intentions clear and roll forward to be on pace and if you're not leading, then sit off," Fitton said.

"But he led and dictated well, got a breather through the middle stages, which was the winning move and she was brave late to hold on.

"Well done to him and the team at home, it was a great effort."

Osmond said: "It's amazing. I don't think I'll wipe the smile off my face for a few days. I can't thank Chris enough, he's given me a good go and it's good to repay him with a win like this."

At Eagle Farm, Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons was second on Ciaron Maher-trained Semana behind stablemate Bella Nipotina in the group 1 Tattersall's Tiara.

Lees-trained Zoe's Promise lost her off-fore shoe during the race and finished 14^th, while Scone trainer Luke Pepper will updated stewards on the condition of Opal Ridge after she finished second last. A post-race veterinary exam revealed no apparent abnormalities.

GREYHOUNDS: Elrington trainer Chris Kedwell thought Out Of Style had lost her chance after missing the start in heat one of the Peter Mosman Opal at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

But by the end of the back straight, the $15 chance from box six had put a gap on her rivals and delivered Kedwell and wife Sarah a first group 1 starter.

If that win wasn't enough of a thrill, the Kedwells then drew box one for next Saturday night's $75,000-to-the-winner final.

"She sort of missed the kick and I thought, 'this is no good' because her best sections are usually her first and middle," Chris said.

"She's got good speed through them, then the run home is just respectable.

"She went well and then she drew a good box in the final.

"I'm just hoping she comes out of the boxes a bit better this week, otherwise she will be in all sorts.

"It's a pretty open final, although there's a lot of good dogs still in it.

"It's all in the start. Whoever wins that will be pretty well home and hosed in the final."

Making the final is already a highlight for the Kedwells, who have been training for 12 years.

"We were in the Masters Meteor there a while back with Robbie Knows but he had no luck in the final, but this is the actual first group 1 that we've been in," he said.

"Fingers crossed. Now I've just got to get the night off work."

Cessnock trainer Blake Moroney's Blazing Raso was 1.5 lengths second in the heat to also qualify after making a flying start from box four. She gained box two for the decider. Greta trainer Michelle Lill's Canya Joyous was third in heat three and is first reserve.

In the male age-restricted series, the Vic Peters Classic, North Rothbury trainer Pat Parrelli's Tarzan Teddy was second in heat three to make the final. He drew box five.

Perseverance paid off for Raymond Terrace trainer Ken Lantry when My Mate Cobber broke through to win at his 21st start at Saturday's Newcastle meeting.

The four-year-old was the well-supported $6.50 second favourite in the 1200m maiden handicap with Mitch Bell in the saddle.

My Mate Cobber went for a spell after an impressive unplaced run at Coffs Harbour in November and his two starts this preparation were full of merit.

He was placed first-up in a 900m Newcastle maiden on May 25 before a narrow defeat at Muswellbrook on June 17.

It was a lovely ride by Bell on Saturday as he settled the gelding midfield, one-off the rail and steered him into a gap at the top of the straight.

My Mate Cobber went to the line full of running to win by 1.86 lengths from Sharpen The Knives, with the promise of more wins to come.

The victory came as no surprise to Lantry, who has only one horse in training.

"I was confident this horse would run well as both runs this time in have been good, but there was a bit of hype about the even-money favourite Kervette," Lantry said.

"The horse should have won a couple of races up the coast and he had been placed in nine of his previous 20 starts.

"I bought My Mate Cobber online as a yearling from South Australia for his current owners, Warren Skinner from Coffs Harbour, Ray Davis, a Maitland hotel owner, close friend and Newcastle hotelier Neville Willett and our daughter Kristy Sinclair.

"This horse is 100 per cent sound and I have returned from Maitland with my wife, and I rent a couple of stables near Raymond Terrace.

"Mathew Scorse has been a big help riding the horse in trackwork at Newcastle."

Lantry was a versatile sportsman in his younger days. He was an apprentice jockey in the early 1960s, riding a winner in his only Sydney chance at Canterbury in 1962.

He played more than 200 first-grade rugby league games in Newcastle and Scone and was undefeated in eight amateur boxing bouts.

The in-form Jean Van Overmeire rode three of the last four winners on the program - Alcabeel, Nanshe and Metallic Ruler - to take his tally for the season to 92.

Cessnock trainer Clayton Harmey added a win to his 2024 tally as he led the Newcastle Harness Racing Club premiership by 40 points at the mid-season mark.

Harmey-trained Paytons Rock came from a sit on the pegs to power home and win by 6.9 metres on Friday night as part of a double for driver Chloe Formosa. It took Harmey to 284 points for the season at Newcastle.

KerryAnn Morris had a win, two seconds and two thirds in the night to move to second on 244. Formosa drove Morris' winner, Killara Samurai, in the next race. Darren Elder is third in the premiership on 226.

In the drivers' premiership, Josh Gallagher, who was not at the meeting, leads on 332 points.

Ashleigh Delosa ate into his lead with two seconds on Friday night to rise to 310 in second. Jack Callaghan is third on 254.