Osland Eyes Listed Success with So You Are in Grafton Cup

Trainer Stirling Osland is hopeful that So You Are can deliver his first Listed race victory before the four-year-old gelding transitions to new stables.

The gelding has achieved placings in his last two assignments, both behind the Bjorn Baker-trained Thebudgiesmugla. Osland has revealed that So You Are will soon be joining that horse in Sydney.

"He's heading to Bjorn's after this start for us," Osland said.

"He'll be in Sydney on Friday, have a couple of weeks let up, and then starting with Bjorn as a five-year-old there.

"He's got to the stage now where he's a genuine competitor in Group and Listed races every start, so he's done as much as he can for us and just the travel - he spends 30 hours a month on a float.

"Between driving to Sydney and Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast so coming into spring carnival time, there'll be a lot of options for a horse like him, we'd spoken to Stewie (Ramsey, owner) that Grafton would be the end of it."

Securing a win in Thursday's Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) would be the perfect send-off for So You Are. According to Timeform, he is the best horse Osland has trained, a status cemented by his second placing in the recent Caloundra Cup.

"He's good as gold," Osland enthused.

"He's done a lot of travelling but he travels well and he's come through it nicely.

"He's probably going as well as ever, he's always very consistent, through some good races behind a lot of good horses so I think Grafton looks a nice race for us."

While Osland is pleased to note the absence of Thebudgiesmugla from the racecard, he identified the even-money favourite King Pedro as the horse to beat.

"The favourite won well in that Winter Cup last start but I think our form is probably more solid than his," Osland stated.

"Probably us and Moods' horse (Pounding), we were probably on par that day but he scratched.

"He's drawn well in barrier two, he should get a nice run just behind the speed and I think we're probably coming out of the stronger form line, he's been in group or listed his past four starts.

"I think he's well placed, this is a good finish point for him, to get a Listed winner at Grafton, we spend a lot of time racing there, it'd be nice to top it off."

So You Are is currently listed at $7.50 for the $200,000 feature event on Thursday, which culminates the two-day carnival, known for the Ramornie Handicap on Wednesday.

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