A PLAN 12 months in the making for Kyneton trainer George Osborne came to fruition at Albury on Thursday as Mount Horeb sprinted to victory in the $73,500 Barlens City Handicap (1175m).
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But like all best-laid plans, there were plenty of obstacles to overcome along the way.
Mount Horeb, the second favourite at $4.20, was having just his second start since winning the same race - the feature event on day one of the Albury Gold Cup Carnival - last year.
"We planned 12 months ago to go back-to-back, but we had to abort any more of his preparation after his last win up there," Osborne said.
"He had to have a little chip taken out of one knee and a spur scraped off the other one, so we decided to just give him plenty of time and aim him again for that race this year.
"It worked out perfectly."
Osborne and his five-year-old gelding had to contend with a bit of a setback on the way to the track, blowing a tyre on his float on the Hume Highway.
"I've been doing this for 30 years and, obviously, I've had tyre issues, but I've never blown one like that - it just chewed up and sprung out everywhere," he said.
"We had a lot of trouble getting the other (tyre) on, so we got there a bit late, but we got there in time.
"To his credit, he was an absolute gentleman on the float. We were on the side of the freeway for about 40 minutes, with cars and trucks flashing past, but he was okay."
Despite a roughly 310 kilometre distance between the racecourses at Albury and Kyneton, Mount Horeb has developed quite an affinity for the border region track.
"After yesterday he has had seven starts there (at Albury) for six wins and a short-half head second," Osborne said.
"I'm not sure if it's just Albury, or the other way of racing he likes, as he's never been on another (New South Wales) track.
"He's a nice horse and certainly done the job for us. Not many win seven races these days and he's got himself to open company."
Osborne said his suspicions could be soon to be laid to rest with the gelding to be set for a tilt at next month's $150,000 Wagga Town Plate (1200m).
Mount Horeb, who was piloted to victory by Blaike McDougall, boosted his career record to seven wins and two minor placings from 17 starts for prize earnings of $131,510.
His only non-Albury win was at start number 11 at Kyneton in December 2018.
Osborne has three 'well placed' runners at today's Swan Hill meeting - El Mahady, Kazoom and Must Be Moet.
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