Racing: Bosson ponders suspension fight

SYDNEY - Matamata colt King's Chapel may require a new jockey for the A$1 million ($1.15 million) Stradbroke Handicap after regular jockey Opie Bosson was suspended at Doomben.

Bosson was yesterday mulling over whether to appeal the 12-meeting suspension he received for allowing King's Chapel to shift out in the home straight in the Doomben 10,000 in Brisbane on Saturday.

Another leading jockey, Nash Rawiller, was suspended for 10 meetings and fined A$2500 after the race. Stewards found that Rawiller, aboard former New Zealand mare Our Egyptian Raine, had angled out at the 200m, causing interference to Ancient Song (Chris Munce) and Besame Mucho (Darren Beadman).

The winner was Melbourne sprinter Super Elegant, who delivered an emotional win for his connections.

Super Elegant, backed from 9-1 in to 7-1, held on for his second group-one win in eight days, edging out Our Egyptian Raine (4-1) by a half-head with Scenic Peak (25-1) a further 1 1/4 lengths away third.

Part-owner David Trevethan dedicated Super Elegant's victory to his late mother-in-law, Flo Thomas, who died recently after a long battle with cancer.

Trevethan has been trying for 30 years to win a group-one race and now has the Doomben and the Goodwood Handicap.

Stewards found Bosson had allowed King's Chapel to cause interference to Unearthly and another New Zealand runner, Sedecrem, and fined him A$1000 as well as the suspension.

The suspension means he will miss the Stradbroke meeting on June 12, but be free to ride on Brisbane Cup day two days later. Bosson is likely to decide whether to appeal in the next two days, according to Mark Walker, the trainer of King's Chapel.


He has been fielding plenty of offers from other jockeys to ride King's Chapel, who ran home well for fifth despite being hampered by a bad draw on the tight Doomben track.

Walker confirmed that Glen Boss, who rides New Zealander Cut The Cake in the Doomben Cup next Saturday, was among the riders interested.

Melbourne jockey Rhys McLeod, who has ridden the horse to victory in New Zealand, is also thought to be in the mix, but Walker said yesterday that no decision would be made until after Bosson had made his appeal decision.


Walker said he was pleased with King's Chapel's performance, given the outside barrier draw in the 15-horse field. King's Chapel raced at the tail of the field in the 1350m sprint, but unwound powerfully in the straight.

"I didn't think he was a hope on the turn but he finished off well. The draw dictated the pattern of how we would ride the horse."

He said King's Chapel should be better suited by the bigger Eagle Farm track where the Stradbroke is run.

"He'll have more time to get balanced. It's a bigger, roomier track."

King's Chapel was yesterday listed as a $7 second favourite on the New South Wales TAB fixed-odds market, behind Thorn Park, who also ran on from the back of the field for fourth, at $6.

Our Egyptian Raine was just nosed out of first by Super Elegant in a desperate finish, while Scenic Peak was an eye-catching third.

Kiwi mare Miss Potential hit the lead early in the straight, but was overtaken in the last 100m to finish sixth.

Miss Potential's owner-trainer Bill Borrie said yesterday: "We were thrilled with the effort, because they were really honking along.

"Scott Seamer thought he might have hit the lead too early in the straight, but at the time he didn't have a choice."

Miss Potential might run over the same distance in a fillies' and mares' race at Doomben next Saturday, but she will not be lining up in the Stradbroke.

Borrie missed the deadline time for nominations and said paying a A$40,000 late nomination fee was a "bit rich".

However, Sedecrem, who was eighth in the Doomben 10,000, will be lining up.

Auckland trainer Colin Jillings said Sedecrem was left with too much ground to cover on Saturday and would appreciate the roomier Eagle Farm track.

- NZPA