By Adam Pengilly
Rarely do trainers allow themselves to look back. The relentless pursuit of the next champion means there is always another day, another race, another potential winner.
It is the one sport where getting ahead of yourself is not frowned upon, but actively encouraged sometimes.
Impressive: Christian Reith rides Haussmann to a strong win in the Civic Stakes at Rosehill.Credit: Anthony Johnson
Godolphin head trainer John O'Shea found a moment to pause on Civic Stakes day. A year since Generalife stormed to the victory in the same race – kick-starting O'Shea's reign at the helm of the international breeding and racing giant – there was just a little bit of reflection in order after Haussmann achieved the same feat on Saturday.
"We probably would have been happy with less," O'Shea said of the past 12 months. "There's been some good times throughout the year. The number of two-year-old winners has been good and we've won a couple of group 1s with some nice horses.
"If you'd asked me 12 months prior if we would have taken what we've achieved I would have taken it with both hands. We've got a big year ahead of us and hopefully it can continue on."
O'Shea was the first to admit Haussmann's rails-hugging win, where Christian Reith deputised for Tim Clark after he couldn't make the weight, could not be compared to that of Generalife, which battered his opposition in the $100,000 listed sprint last year.
But it might have meant a bit more for Reith, clamouring for a better share of rides as the transition back to Australia from a stint in Hong Kong takes a little longer than he hoped.
Stalking the early speed of last week's winner Two Blue, Reith angled for an inside run as Winona Costin's mount drifted slightly off the fence. And Haussmann did the rest as he squirmed his way to a half-neck win.
See The World beat home a wall of horses for the rest of the minor money, two-and-a-half lengths back from Two Blue. Favourite Dothraki laboured into fifth after travelling wide throughout.
"It's always good to pick up a ride for them," said Reith, who used to ride extensively for Darley when Peter Snowden was the head Australian trainer. "I go out there Tuesday mornings and punch a few around for them to keep a routine.
"Hopefully when I come back from my break next week I will feel nice and fresh and keep the momentum going, start riding everywhere again and see what happens."
It is highly unlikely Reith will be in the saddle next time Haussmann steps out, most likely in the Winter Stakes in a fortnight.
Premiership pacesetter James McDonald will be back from a European riding stint and will have the immediate goal of thwarting Blake Shinn and Hugh Bowman in the title race after the former clawed the deficit back to three on Saturday.
"He will be straight off the plane and straight back to work," O'Shea laughed. "No detours along the way either. We've got Macca riding and trying to win a premiership and we'll see if we can give him a hand and hopefully old Haussmann can give him the opportunity.
"I think it's a great team effort [with Haussmann]. He's been really flying at home and enjoying his work and he's a happy and healthy horse."
A Haussmann-Two Blue rematch could be in order after the latter's trainer, Kristen Buchanan, indicated a preference for the Winter Stakes to be her mare's next assignment.
"Once he forced inside on her hip I thought, 'aww'," Buchanan said. "You always know you're going to get 110 per cent from her and she tries her heart out. It was just that last bit [that found her out].
"The Winter Dash in a fortnight over 1400 [looks ideal]. She's raced up to a mile and people keep thinking she's a 1200-metre horse, but she's raced tough company here and won up to 1400 [metres]. As long as the tracks stay soft."
While he may have momentarily looked back, O'Shea is already looking forward again. Group 1-winning imports Contributer and Hartnell are the horses leading the charge of the Godolphin blue this spring. There is always another race to be won.