Sound proposition of Gr I success
Opie Bosson narrowly missed Group One success in Queensland last Saturday, but he gets a further opportunity this weekend.
Bosson was beaten a half-length by Redzel on the Chris Wallertrained Counterattack in the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 then a race later won the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate on Shocking Luck for Matamata trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.
This weekend he will combine with another Matamata duo, Lance O’sullivan and Andrew Scott, when riding Sound Proposition in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m).
It will be Bosson’s first ride on Sound Proposition, whose four wins include the Gr.1 Manco Easter Stakes at Ellerslie last year with Michael Coleman in the saddle.
Sound Proposition was among the entries for last Saturday’s Gr.3 Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben, but his trainers elected to bypass the feature and concentrate on the Doomben Cup.
‘‘As it turned out he was going to get 58 kilos and the weather was not the greatest,’’ Scott said.
‘‘We felt it was better to sit back and wait for the Doomben Cup. He’s still a wee way down the order, but hopefully he’ll get in.’’
Sound Proposition has had just two starts since a setback in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
‘‘He had that heart fibrillation on Boxing Day and has had an interrupted campaign in New Zealand this season,’’ Scott said.
‘‘He seems fine now and has settled in well in Brisbane.’’
Sound Proposition’s two starts this year have resulted in a third in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes behind Lizzie L’amour at Ellerslie on March 16 then a fifth to Seventh Up in the Easter Stakes.
Meanwhile Group One winner Summer Passage is back in light work being prepared for another Australian trip. Summer Passage has looked exciting in his four starts, which have resulted in two wins and two seconds.