Racing: Boss scores in Origin

Photo / Getty

We all know Glen Boss is a proud Queenslander and you got more of an impression of that when the top jock gave a Makybe Diva-like salute winning the first heat of the Origin Jockeys series at Doomben.

Glen Boss' original ride in Saturday's race, Legendary Luke, was scratched.

The Melbourne-based horseman arrived at Doomben without a mount in the opener, but got a late call to ride Honey Holt when fellow rider Paul Hammersley fell ill.

He refused to wear Honey Holt's normal racing colours, insisting on the all-purple Queensland jacket designed for the series.

But fate wasn't finished. Boss became upset when told the 10 points for the victory could not be awarded because Honey Holt was not an original mount and therefore not strictly part of the series.

So Boss went out and won the other leg of the series - this time on the original mount Britaila Kate - to take Queensland to a lead on 10 points in the New Zealand-Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane series.

Queensland officials are investigating whether the 10 points for Honey Holt may yet be able to be awarded.

Complicating that issue is that four Australian betting agencies opened betting on the Origin series, the stipulation being that all mounts earning points had to be the original drawn mounts.

Auckland's Danielle Johnson took New Zealand into second place in the series when she finished second to Boss on Hesitation. Yesterday, Johnson was in an extremely sporting frame of mind. "I hope they give Bossy those points for the first win, even if it costs me the series. Fair's fair, he won the race and it would be in the spirit of the origin series."

Johnson said she thoroughly enjoyed the experienced of riding for the first time in Queensland. "The crowd really turned up and it was a great atmosphere."

The series continues for the next three Saturdays.

Perth racing has a new star with 3-year-old filly Perfect Reflection winning the Group 1 Kingston Town Stakes at Ascot, the final Australian Group 1 race of the year.

The Bob Peters-owned Grant Williams-trained Perfect Reflection retained her unbeaten record and became the first filly to win when she beat stablemate Delicacy in a photo-finish to the 1800m race.

Leading jockey Willie Pike chose to ride Perfect Reflection at 50kg and his decision was vindicated.

Magic Artist, trained by Melbourne Cup winner Andreas Wohler, beat just three runners home.

After a heavy storm earlier in the day, the track was in the heavy range.

- additional reporting: AAP