Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday December 17

Isotope and Away Game dominant the betting for Saturday's Listed Hellbent Gold Edition Stakes at Doomben and so we will be looking for a horse to fill the trifecta.

The 3yo Spirit Of Boom gelding Safework has won just one of his twelve starts.

That came three starts back over 1350m at Doomben, and the Scott Morrisey-trainee has been runner-up at his past two starts at Eagle Farm and Doomben.

Safework was purchased for $110,000 by John Morrisey on behalf of long-time clients Robin Lees and Len Hoyle of Gundaroo Stud at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

While they may have been quieter in recent times, Morrisey, Lees and Hoyle were big players in the yearling market in the latter years of the last century.

They splashed out over $3million in the space of three years.

Safework a $110,000 Magic Millions Yearling

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The returns might not have been there; however, there were some notable performers, none more so that the Danehill filly Camarena who was purchased at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale ay Karaka for $300,000.

The winner of the Group 1 QTC Queensland Derby, Camarena is the dam of Woodland Stud's $900,000 Easter Yearling purchase Camarilla (Elusive Quality) who became a Group 1 winner and a massive cog in the Darley wheel with her grandson Bivouac the latest star.

Safeowrk came from considerably more humble beginnings. His dam Ossie's Secret (Red Dazzler) did not race however, there would be many fans that remember Ossie's Secret's dam Ossie Cossie fondly.

The late Jim Renfrew owned a farm at Bylong next door to where Rain Lover stood.

Jim and his mate Dan Buffier purchased the smart Brisbane sprinter Osmunda who stood at Dan's Wingarra Stud, which was just down the road.

From the last crop of Star Kingdom, Osmunda was one of three yearlings sold by Reg Moses at the 1969 Easter Yearling sale, and all became stallions. Osmunda made $25,000, Planet Kingdom $32,000 and Coacliff $7,000.

Osmunda was an instant hit at stud. One of the mares Jim Renfrew sent him was the well-performed Corinto mare was Butterfly Blue. The result of that mating was the dual Sydney winner Ossie Blue who had a severe case of seconditis. She was runner-up in nine of her 25 starts.

Spirit Of Boom

Ossie Blue is the dam of Ossie Cossie. The daughter of Mister C was purchased for just $2,000. It did not take long to earn that back.

Trained by former Olympian Greg McDermott, Ossie Cossie reeled off four consecutive wins at two culminating in a 1000m scamper at Moonee Valley.

She was defeated in her first three starts at three before running up a sequence of six wins. That earned a first shot at stakes level where she finished midfield in the Listed Birthday Card Quality at Rosehill won by Light Up the World.

In a busy 3yo season Ossie Cossie won nine of her 16 starts.

Hampered by bone chips, Ossie Cossie went winless in seven starts. It was back to business at five.  She won four of 18 starts, three of them in Melbourne.

Although a stakes win was proving elusive, the sights were upped for Ossie Cossie when she stayed in training at six.  

She finished second in the Ian McEwen Trophy at her favourite track Moonee Valley.

However, it was in Sydney where the breakthrough came. At her 50th start, the grey mare scored an emotional win in the Listed City Tatt's Lightning Hcp at Randwick.

Next stop was the Group II A.J. Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley where she clocked in third behind the John Size-trained Al Mansour and Spartacus.

Retirement was looming when Ossie Cossie made her only attempt at the highest level. She was far from disgraced when sixth in the Oakleigh Plate won by Singing The Blues.

The daughter of Mister C finished just in front of Scandanavia that day.

That daughter of Snippets would leave her mark on the breed worldwide. The same could not be said of Ossie Cossie although she was far from a failure.

After retiring with 19 wins, Ossie Cossie produced ten live foals, eight made it to the track for seven winners.

They were led by the Listed BRC Phelan Ready Stakes winner Jantzen (Johannesburg). Two daughters of Ossie Cossie, Cos Snip and Dots and Spots, have produced the stakes-placed winner's Beach Front and Make My Luck respectively.

Hopefully, Ossie's Secret can add her name to the honour roll with Safework in the Gold Edition Plate on Saturday.

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