Ill Bosson sidelined
THERE is an element of irony that Opie Bosson was due to ride Shocking Luck at Doomben on Saturday.
On a day when the world class Kiwi jockey was seemingly set for a run of rich success, he was instead in the sick bay.
Bosson took to the track for the opening race on the card but following the running of the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes, he was then stood down for the day by the club doctor.
Bosson missed his rides in Group I races the JJ Atkins Stakes, aboard $1.80 favourite Melody Belle, the Queensland Derby (Shocking Luck) and the rich Stradbroke (Counterattack).
Details of the illness are not yet known.
Bosson was replaced by Damian Lane on Melody Belle but the race did not go to plan. The Karaka Million winner sat outside the leader for most of the trip but was beaten a long way from home and eventually finished tenth. Three lengths behind race winner Capital Gain.
The other Kiwi in the field, Qiji Phoenix, was scratched on Friday following a scope that revealed excess mucus in his throat.
The Derby was a similar story for Damian Browne who replaced Bosson on Shocking Luck.
Caught deep on the rail early, Shocking Luck was moved into Handicap the race just before the field turned for home but he never looked a winning chance, even before he was checked out of contention in the straight.
The second favourite eventually finished back in 11th, almost 10 lengths behind the favourite and race winner Ruthven.
The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs-trained Here He Comes and Leith Innes finished the Derby in fifth, just six lengths behind Ruthven.
Former Kiwi, Mongolian Wolf, who was trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, finished the Derby in ninth place.
Bosson’s ride in the day’s A$1.5 million feature, the Stradbroke Handicap, finished back in fourth place in a bold showing after being slow out of the gates.
The Chris Waller-trained Counterattack, ridden by Innes, was just a length and a quarter behind upset winner Impending.
The three-year-old colt by Lonhro was the first Group I training success for stand in Godolphin trainer and former top jockey Darren Beadman.
In the one ride, Bosson did complete, he and Heroic Valour were void of any luck which would ultimately prove to be the story of the leading jockey’s dismal day.
The pair were caught three wide for most of the 1200m trip and it took its toll as the third favourite finished back in ninth place.
Heroic Valour’s first start across the Tasman was a second placing in the Group III Gold Coast Guineas but since then nothing has gone right. In addition to being three wide on Saturday, the Fastnet Rock colt has also missed crucial runs because of track conditions.
There was some respite for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards in the second race at Doomben.
Jimmy Rea, having just his second start for Te Akau following an 18-month layoff, finished strongly for third in the Listed Makers Mark Hinkler Handicap behind race winner Miss Gunpowder and Too Good to Refuse.
The Kevin Hickman owned Jimmy Rea has previously won six races in Singapore.