TRAINER George Osborne is optimistic a win is not far away with his chestnut gelding Showbag.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The four-year-old will be the astute Kyneton trainer's sole runner on Jayco Bendigo Cup day in a 1100m maiden event, after having three last year.
His best result in 2018 was a second with Celeritate Regem, who went on to break his maiden at Mornington in May this year, and has finished second a frustrating five times in 15 career starts.
Osborne hopes a wide-open maiden is the opportunity the gelding is searching for after doing plenty wrong in finishing second at his last start at Swan Hill behind the Paul Preusker-trained Blazing Range.
"He was probably a bit green the other day and probably should have won. He threw the race away being a bit green," he said.
"Hopefully he has learnt from that. We gave him a jump-out in-between (runs) and he went okay in that.
"He's definitely getting closer to a win."
Showbag will be among four central Victorian-trained runners in the race, with Bendigo's Arthur Pace saddling up first starter Hay Cliffy, alongside the Shane Fliedner-trained Hi Stranger and a second Kyneton horse Toojay, from the Jason Hunter stable.
Osborne said Showbag was diagnosed with a breathing problem after his first run last November and was subsequently operated on.
The gelding returned to action after a 45 week gap between races at Swan Hill in mid-September.
"He's had two runs post-operation and they have been good. He's on the improve," the trainer said.
Osborne, who hopes to have about half a dozen runners at next week's Kyneton Cup meeting, is coming off one of his best seasons as a trainer since moving to Victoria.
The nearly 30-year veteran trained 43 winners and 70 placings to finish among the state's top 20 trainers.
READ MORE:
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
