Taylah Osmond.
YOU don’t ever expect to be thanking your boss for being ‘under the weather’.
Yet up and coming young driver Taylah Osmond must thank her lucky stars that top trainer James Rattray was sick one day and couldn’t fulfill his driving commitments.
When Rattray couldn’t go to the races Taylah got to jump aboard his drives which included nine-year-old gelding Whereyabinboppin, one of the best horses in the stable of the Southern Highlands trainer-driver.
Osmond did the rest, won the race and since that day Rattray couldn’t prise her out of the sulky if he tried.
The 20-year-old reinswoman has now won four races on Whereyabinboppin and heads for Menangle on Saturday night hoping she can get the veteran gelding across the line again against a smart field, including the in-form Max Delight in the Bill Green Free-For-All.
“We get along pretty well, me and ‘Boppin’,” said Osmond.
“He’s had some issues along the way but he’s sound at the moment.
“His run last week was pretty good as he hadn’t raced since his win in the Goulburn Cup and he’ll definitely strip a bit fitter tonight.”
Osmond also drives another strong chance in eight-year-old gelding Boom for Rattray in Race 1.
“He ran a nice race last week and they got home quickly and he still made up ground from back in the field to finish fifth to The Narcissist,” said Osmond.
“I think this race is not as tough as last week and with the right trip he should be in the finish, as this distance should also suit him.”
The Rattray stable could be in for a big night at Tabcorp Park Menangle as they also have outstanding square-gaiter London To A Brick in Race 8 as well as Tooram Magic (Race 4), while Nyack is up against Whereyabinboppin in Race 5.
“I drove London To A brick as a two-year-old as James loves to drive him and if he’s on his best behavior he’ll be really hard to beat,” said Osmond.
“Tooram Magic was a little bit disappointing last week but his work has been better this week and if he gets the right trip he should be in the finish as well.
“Nyack is pretty classy and he’s 100 per cent now and trialled enormously well last week and I think he should be one of the hardest for me to beat in tonight’s free-for-all.”
