‘We have to focus on the positive things about our sport': Trainer John O'Shea calls for unity after Rosehill sale decision
The champion trainer is sensing Sydney racing is finally starting to put behind it months of controversial, divisive and negative debate over the Rosehill sale proposal which was rejected in a vote by Australian Turf Club members.
O'Shea, who trains in partnership with Tom Charlton, felt there was a turning of the tide at Royal Randwick last Saturday.
'It was the middle of winter but there was a really good feel to the meeting,'' O'Shea said.
'I got enjoyment out of going to the races last Saturday, it was like we are starting to take away the negativity that was associated with the whole Rosehill sale issue.''
O'Shea is no shrinking violet and isn't afraid to voice his opinion. He was against the Rosehill sale from the outset.
But he also provides intelligent and thoughtful insight into an issue which has fractured friendships and divided the racing industry.
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'The most disappointing thing about the Rosehill issue to me was the negativity it brought to our industry as a whole,'' O'Shea said.
'It did a lot of damage to our brand because our industry became the focus of mainstream media in a negative manner.
'Whether you were for or against it (Rosehill sale), we were looked upon in a negative manner irrespective of anything else.
'I think we have to focus more on the positive things about our sport. We need to concentrate on getting people back to the races, building the membership base and racing good horses.''
When it comes to 'racing good horses', O'Shea and Charlton have been doing just that over the last 12 months since their first runner together, Bartolf, won at Scone on July 2.
The trainers have prepared 73 winners during the 2024-25 season including three Group 1 wins with Linebacker (Randwick Guineas), Maison Louis (Queensland Derby) and Schwarz (William Reid Stakes).
Stable Talk 🎥
The boys look back on the Queensland Derby win, how it played out and what was going through their heads as it happened. #StableTalk #QueenslandDerby #RaceReplay pic.twitter.com/BZKjIvwojv
— O'Shea & Charlton Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) June 13, 2025
O'Shea and Charlton are equal sixth on the Sydney trainers premiership with 34 city races at a strike-rate of an outstanding 15.7%.
'It's been a pretty good 12 months, we can't complain,'' O'Shea said.
'But I think we haven't really changed that much in the way we do things because Tom's involvement was pretty substantial anyway. It's just made it official on the job sheet.''
O'Shea revealed the stable strategy has been to develop a team that is going to be competitive at the elite level.
'It has been a building process and getting quality animals into the yard,'' he said. 'We have a group of nice young horses coming through.''
But leading the stable charge at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday is one of their older horses, rising seven-year-old imported mare Awesome Wonder in the Stayer's Cup (2400m).
Just awesome 🙌
Awesome Wonder wins the TAB Hcp for @stanley_jett and @JohnOSheaRacing! @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/Lu7DpMxOe4
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 10, 2024
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Awesome Wonder is out of the former brilliant filly, Nechita, winner of the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, but she hasn't inherited her dam's natural speed.
Instead, Awesome Wonder throws to her sire, the great Galileo, arguably the most influential European stallion of the modern era.
Galileo, who was superbly bred by the mighty Sadler's Wells out of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea, won six of his eight starts including the 2001 English Derby.
But as good as Galileo was on the racetrack, he has been even better at stud. He was leading sire in Britain a record 12 times and is the only stallion to sire over 100 individual Group 1 winners, including a record five English Derby winners.
Awesome Wonder hasn't won since scoring over 2400m at Randwick in August last year but she has been improved by three runs from a spell.
'She had a long time out but is coming along well,'' O'Shea said. 'We are trying to get her to the Grafton Cup next month.''
O'Shea and Charlton also have the promising Livin' Thing lining up in the TAB Handicap (1100m).
Livin' Thing, a three-year-old son of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, has won three of his six starts and impressed at his most recent run scoring easily at Kensington.
Livin' Thing records an impressive win in Race 4 at Randwick Kensington. @JohnOSheaRacing pic.twitter.com/OIgu2nzjCP
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 11, 2025
'He's a really nice horse,'' O'Shea said of Livin' Thing. 'He won well the other day with a bunch of weight.
'The step to 1100m will suit him, he maps well, and comes in nicely at the weights with Jace McMurray 's claim so we are looking forward to Saturday with him, to be fair.''
The trainers also have smart mare Captain Amelia going third-up in the Precise Air Handicap (1400m).
'Both her runs have been good this time in,'' O'Shea said.
'She is back to mares grade on Saturday and also has Jace's claim which helps.''
What a thriller! Captain Amelia gives @Loughnane_blly his first Randwick winner! @JohnOSheaRacing | @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/WRGjsKwmV5
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 21, 2024
The O'Shea-Charlton stable had Quietness entered for the Listed $200,000 WJ McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill but have withdrawn the promising former English mare and will start her instead in the Listed $200,000 Tattersall's Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
'Quietness is a really nice, little mare, she has been a delight to train,'' O'Shea said.
'She will go to Brisbane and hopefully add to her performances that she had before coming to Australia. We like her a lot and feel she is a very good staying mare.''
With the subject on a race north of the border, we couldn't let the opportunity pass without asking O'Shea his view on the State Of Origin decider between his beloved Queensland and NSW at Accor Stadium on July 9.
The Maroons, playing with an 8-0 penalty count in their favour during the first half of Game 2, defeated the Blues 26-24 to level the series.
Although O'Shea was happy with the result, he was honest in his appraisal of the quality of the game and, in particular, the match officials.
'This is not a criticism of the referee (Ashley Klein) but I don't enjoy Origin as much with that referee as opposed to (Adam) Gee,'' O'Shea said.
'I think Gee lets the game flow a lot more. He usually has say five penalties but this guy (Klein) has up to 10 or more (per game).
'I don't think that is what State Of Origin is about, I think it is better left alone.
'It's not that he is a bad referee but he has a different way of refereeing State Of Origin and I don't think that is as conducive to making it a better game as to when Gee referees and just lets it flow.
'I would be interested to watch Gee referee at Origin and see if it is not a better game. But I can't wait for Game 3 and I believe it will be a lot closer than most people think.''
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O'Shea backs star gelding against Group 1 elite
Linebacker will be given his chance in Sydney's biggest races but Maison Louis is unlikely to be tested at the highest level during the spring carnival.
This was trainer John O'Shea's initial assessment of spring carnival plans for his stable's two Group 1 stars ahead of their four-year-old seasons.
The talented Linebacker underlined his quality during autumn holding off Broadsiding, Swiftfalcon and Aeliana in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas before he was luckless when beaten just over a length into eighth position in Stefi Magnetica 's Doncaster Mile.
But the striking chestnut has shown he is not out of place against racing's elite which gives O'Shea and training partner Tom Charlton every reason to aim high with the gelding in the coming spring carnival.
Linebacker has WON the G1 Randwick Guineas for @JohnOSheaRacing! � @ZacLloydx with a flawless performance to land Linebacker his first G1! pic.twitter.com/NnkGgo7cEr
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025
'We have to go to the Epsom Handicap with Linebacker and play ball after that,'' O'Shea said.
'We will just be guided by what happens in the Epsom but we feel he could be a horse that might run in the King Charles (III Stakes) and then the Golden Eagle.''
Although their brilliant sprinter and winner of the William Reid Stakes, Schwarz has been retired to stud, O'Shea and Charlton have unearthed an exciting young stayer in Maison Louis who defeated stablemate King Of Thunder in the Queensland Derby earlier this month.
But O'Shea and Charlton are likely to take a 'softly-softly approach' with Maison Louis who won the Derby at the end of a seven-start debut race campaign.
He's home!
The G1 Queensland Derby belongs to Maison Louis thanks to a lovely ride by @RMaloney_Jockey - and @JohnOSheaRacing get the quinella with King Of Thunder in second spot! ðŸ'¥ ðŸ'° @BrisRacingClub @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/sHvsz11h77
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025
'Maison Louis is a horse we are going to have to bring along steadily,'' O'Shea said.
'He was able to achieve so much in his first preparation but he wouldn't be ready to start butting heads with those European imports in open company.
'So we are just going to use the next 12 months or so to try and 'season' him more.
'Obviously a horse that can win a Group 1 race in his first preparation is very progressive but he needs to get some miles under his legs. He's only rated 100 so we will poke along with him next season.''
Maison Louis was too good for stablemate King Of Thunder in the Eagle Farm classic but the latter is also a stayer of considerable potential.
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