Final run for The Chosen One
A summer holiday in Spain is beckoning champion jockey Opie Bosson but he’s not letting himself think about that too much until after today’s $1.2m Group II Sky Racing Q22 at Eagle Farm.
Bosson admitted he was really looking forward to reuniting with his family in Barcelona next week but said his focus was firmly on getting the best out of Group I winner The Chosen One in his final race before he begins stud duties at Waikato’s Highview Stud.
Having ridden the Andrew Forsmantrained Savabeel entire into fifth placing in last month’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2100m) at Eagle Farm, Bosson was keen to continue his association with the Group I Thorndon Mile (1600m) winner in the Q22.
‘‘It was a good run in the Doomben Cup. He got held up a bit but he really hit the line well. He really ran through the line and I was keen to ride him again in this one,’’ Bosson said.
‘‘He’ll be a good chance. The draw (barrier nine) is a bit awkward but if he can get a soft enough run, he’s got to be in contention. He felt great the other day. He’s got a great nature about him and it would be great to see him go out on a winning note.’’
It was announced earlier this week that Highview Stud had secured The Chosen One for stud duties, setting his first-year service fee at $4,000 plus GST.
A winner of seven of his 42 starts, The Chosen One has been a perennial Group I performer on both sides of the Tasman, placing in a Sydney Cup (3200m) and a Caulfield Cup (2400m) as well as winning the Group II Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield and a Group III Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick.
The six-year-old will retire as a Group I winner over a mile, multiple stakes winner on both sides of the Tasman and dual New Zealand Stayer of the Year with over $2.7 million in stakes earnings.
Forsman thinks he’s a good chance of adding one last feature win to his already impressive resume.
‘‘He’s come through the Doomben Cup really well,’’ he said. ‘‘We freshened him up going into it so we were a little bit nervous that he hadn’t quite done enough work, but he was up to the mark and that run should have him spot on for Saturday.
‘‘He’s definitely right up to them and in a more genuinely run affair with a little bit more luck when he needs it, he’s going to be right in the mix.’’
Meanwhile another leading Kiwi Leading jockey Craig Grylls has been collecting plenty of frequent-flyer points over the last few weeks, and he will return to Brisbane today to ride two Kiwi runners at Eagle Farm.
Grylls, will partner the Robbie Pattersontrained Coventina Bay in the A$1.2 million Group II Sky Racing Q22 (2200m) and her stablemate The Fearless One in the A$400,000 Group II Brisbane Cup (3200m).