Confidence of jockey

Big-race ace Glen Boss, forever the optimist, turned to trainer Ciaron Maher on Saturday morning and said: ‘‘This will be the best 30-1 shot I ride in a Group One race.’’

That horse, Etah James, started at $15 but otherwise responded accordingly for Boss as the pair won the Sydney Cup from the Murray Baker/Andrew Forsman-trained The Chosen One ($19) and Raheen House ($6.50).

Making her debut for cotrainers Maher and David Eustace, the well-travelled mare has spent most of her career in Victoria with Matt Cumani before a brief stint with partowner and New Zealand trainer Mark Lupton. She finished fourth in the Auckland Cup at her last start.

The victory gave Boss back-toback Group One wins after he took out the Group I Australian Oaks (2400m) on Colette and while he feared English visitor and favourite Young Rascal, he had genuine confidence in Etah James.

Boss was worried about trying to beat Young Rascal before the race but got the best out of Etah James, who had not been sighted for five weeks since her fourth in the Auckland Cup.

‘‘Full credit to Ciaron and his team because he’s had had her just long enough to put a bit of polish on her,’’’ said Boss, whose mount was only transferred from Lupton to the Maher and Harry Eustace stable last month.

‘‘I’ve been riding her work and I trialled her here in a very fast trial [on March 31] and I said, ‘this is flying, this thing’.

‘‘When I saw that most of them were off the bridle and chasing at the 600m, I thought with the lightweight I’m going to run very well. That last 400m felt like an eternity, because we were going so slow.’’

The Cup field took almost a dawdling 39 seconds to run their last 600m as The Chosen One surged for a second time late but fell just short of seven-year-old Etah James.

Boss last won the Cup 16 years ago on champion-staying mare