Jamie Osborne's German recruit, Kolossal, is set to make her mark in the Free Bets With BetUK Bet Club Handicap, the highlight of the opening night of the new All-Weather Championships at Newcastle.
A two-time Group Three winner under Carmen Bocskai, Osborne acquired the mare for €200,000 at the Arqana sale in December 2023. Kolossal has raced twice for her new connections, beginning with a respectable performance at Royal Ascot in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, where she finished behind Crystal Black. However, she faced disappointment in her subsequent outing at Haydock in the Lancashire Oaks.
“Kolossal's run at Royal Ascot was quite positive, especially considering she carried top weight, and it was her season debut,” Osborne noted. “She didn’t perform as well at Haydock, but that race turned out to be competitive. Since then, she has dealt with minor issues, which delayed her next race, but she is fit and ready to compete now.”
“She’s a capable mare running off a mark of 101. Since she was competitive in the Duke of Edinburgh at 105, I believe she can be a strong contender here, especially with Will Carver’s 3lb claim.”
Nine runners will compete in the race, including William Haggas' Dramatic Star, the Charlie Johnston-trained pair of La Pulga and Capital Theory, Kevin Ryan’s Marhaba The Champ, and George Boughey’s King Lear, all of whom are highly regarded in the betting market.