![Ben Osmond aboard Kazou after winning the last at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture by Jeremy Ng, Getty Images Ben Osmond aboard Kazou after winning the last at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture by Jeremy Ng, Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ChN2GeGbsrYvYqhWaZEXS7/16be12ec-f3e2-4888-81b4-9c240ec9b44f.jpg/r1347_0_3734_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dungog-raised apprentice Ben Osmond said relief was his main emotion after Kazou held on in a photo-finish to give him a first Saturday city win.
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The 25-year-old Newcastle-based jockey took Kazou, the $3.30 favourite trained by leading NSW trainer Chris Waller, to the front in the last at Rosehill on Saturday, a benchmark 78 handicap (1200m).
Carrying 58 kilograms with Osmond's 3kg claim, Kazou pinched a gap at the top of the straight before holding out fast-finishing stablemate Able Willie on the line.
It was Osmond's second Sydney winner but first on a Saturday. His other victory was on Cheerful Legend midweek on the Kensington track in August last year for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle.
Apprenticed to top Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, Osmond has been race riding for three years and was glad to finally grab a Saturday win in town after a few placings.
"It was mainly relief I reckon, just to get that first one done," Osmond said on Sunday.
"It did kind of go to plan. I got to the front a lot easier than I thought I would, then I just tried to back it off a little in the middle stages, and it gave a good enough kick up the straight."
Now with 55 career winners, Osmond was eyeing another crack in Sydney at Randwick next Saturday, where he had four or five rides already lined up.
"I'm loving it at the moment," he said.
"I don't have any real set goals, just keep trying to find that next winner.
"I got into it late. I'd never done anything with racehorses until I was 19, 20, but I did grow up on a farm and had a bit to do with horses before then with eventing and rodeos and stuff like that.
"I just jumped in the deep end and went from there. I thought I'd just give it a go.
"I started out at Kris Lees' pre-training farm at Ellalong, then I went down to Ron Quinton for a year or so and did my trials with him.
"Then I was at Todd Howlett's when I started race riding, then Kris Lees'."
Osmond, who has just begun the last year of his apprenticeship, said he got plenty of messages congratulating him on Saturday's win.
Waller stable representative Damien Fitton said on Saturday that it was "a terrific ride by Ben".
"We gave him strict instructions, make your intentions clear and roll forward to be on pace and if you're not leading, then sit off," Fitton said.
"But he led and dictated well, got a breather through the middle stages, which was the winning move and she was brave late to hold on.
"Well done to him and the team at home, it was a great effort."
Osmond said: "It's amazing. I don't think I'll wipe the smile off my face for a few days."