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There isn’t too much time for sleep or relaxation for trainer Russell Osborne at this time of the year, but he will take a brief break away albeit at the racetrack with his horses at Albury on Friday.
Osborne will be on course to saddle up a record seven runners from his stable and is looking forward to an afternoon away from the everyday routine of also running his horse stud at Benalla – Riverbank Farm.
"I have to take the horse truck and the float and I have never had to do that before," he said.
"All the races lined up well for my horses and hopefully there is a winner or two amongst them."
Osborne's best winning hope on form is Boom Express which has won her past two starts and will run in the GPE Electrical & Communications Contractor Benchmark 58 (900m).
Boom Express is racing in foal and her racing days are drawing to an end after a positive start with Osborne.
The experienced Benalla trainer has started Boom Express three times for a third and two wins.
There has been no major overhaul of Boom Express who has found the class more to her liking, according to Osborne.
"She had good form before I got her and ran five seconds in nine starts and was narrowly beaten in most of those," he said.
"She is in foal to Prince Of Caviar and won't have many more starts. It has been good to win a couple of races with her because that is why she was sent to me to try and get that win next to her name for breeding purposes.
"It hasn't been ideal racing her over 1200 metres, then 1000 metres then back to 900 metres on Friday, but she is going very well."
Boom Express will be ridden by non-claiming country apprentice Laura Lafferty and will carry 60.5 kilograms.
Lafferty is now based in Sydney and will ride five of Osborne's horses with Brendan Ward and Nick Heywood on his other runners where he has two acceptances.
Osborne not only trains a team of some 20 horses, but also runs his horse stud which is home to seven stallions.
"We are flat out at this time of the year with about 110 mares to foal down as well," he said.
"I don't often get a chance to go to the races, but with so many horses in I wanted to be there plus as I said the truck and the float have to go."
Many of Osborne's own horses carry catchy animal names which all stems from two of the best horses he had when he was looking for names.
They were Pretty Possum and Squeaky Squirrel and the list since continue to catch the eye of the public.
He will also start Kooky Kangaroo, Cheeky Chipmunk, Sly Samba Deer and Noble Nightowl on Friday.
Already this week it has been a winning one for Osborne with Flying Finch winning at Corowa on Monday and Beautiful Bee successful at Echuca the following day.
One of his other runners on Friday is Red Impulse which will be racing for a spot in the Wodonga Cup.
Red Impulse has already won three of her four starts at Wodonga and will be sounded out at Albury in the MLM Electrical Contractors Benchmark 66 (1500m).
The feature race at Albury is the $30,000 The Twilight (1175m) where the top weight Northernero has been scratched.
It is a competitive field of 12 for the inaugural running of the race where Albury galloper Halo Warrior has the first-up statistics to win.
The five-year-old has won twice from five first-up attempts and has also recorded two victories from three starts at Albury.
From the inside barrier, Halo Warrior looms as the one to beat at his first start for nine weeks.
Albury trainer Ron Stubbs has recorded winning doubles at two recent Albury meetings and will start four horses on Friday.
Impressive last start winner Spritely Miss appears to be his best hope despite stepping up in grade after breaking through for her maiden victory at just her second start.
Top jockey Matthew Cahill will be aboard his quartet of starters.
