Racing: Noverre in step for the big dance

Horse racing Noverre (inside) winning the Group 3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton. Race Images

The final piece of Noverre's personal 2000 Guineas puzzle will turn up at Riccarton tomorrow.

Because when the favourite rolls on to the track for the first classic of the thoroughbred season on his back will be Opie Bosson, the forgotten superstar of the New Zealand jockey's ranks and the man who turns Guineas contenders into Group 1 winners.

Bosson has won the iconic three-year-old feature a remarkable seven times, the first on Dankse 23 years ago when he was just 18.

Since then, he was ridden future stallions King's Chapel, the ill-fated Atlante (sire of Callsign Mav), Turn Me Loose and Embellish as well as Katie Lee and Buzz Lightyear to win the great race, which is what Te Akau will be hoping Bosson can do again.

The racing behemoth buy horses such as Noverre, by their go-to stallion Savabeel, for $800,000 to win races like the Guineas to give them shot at a stallion career.

So they have their favourite ingredients of a Jamie Richards-trained son of Savabeel with the striking looks and now the last start win over 1600m to win a Guineas. Everything is in place, just add Bosson.

That last piece of the puzzle wasn't quite as easy to fit into place as Bosson spent the first part of the lockdown trapped on the wrong side of the Auckland border and had to get an exemption to go to work and pass several protocols which now have him safely relocated to Matamata and able to ride. And more importantly, travel.

Not that Te Akau are short on back-up riders, after all they have the princess of the premiership Danielle Johnson doing most of their big-time riding in Bosson's absence and there are plenty of days of the week when Johnson is Bosson's equal or better.

But Te Akau keep Bosson as their retained rider for a reason: there is nobody in New Zealand you would rather having riding an expensive yearling purchase in the 2000 Guineas than the softly-spoken maestro.

After his spring Covid restrictions struggles to even get on horseback, Bosson has been playing catch-up, not taking too many rides with the focus being this week.

"I have had about 12 rides and had one winner," Bosson says, smiling.

"But I rode 15 at the trials on Thursday and that is the busiest day I have had in the saddle for a while.

"So that all helps you get your eye back in and I am feeling good.

"This Saturday was the day we had in our mind when David [Ellis, Te Akau boss] and I started talking about getting me back riding. And he [Noverre] is the right sort of horse for this race.

"He is a beautiful looking horse and always had the ability he just took some sorting out last season but Jamie has been able to do that.

"I liked what I saw from him at the end of 1600m last start and he is the horse I want to be on."

Noverre is likely to settle back in the small but select field and there is plenty of depth so Bosson will want to be finding clear air and momentum at the top of the straight because rivals such as Field Of Gold, Wakari, Mana Nui and even stablemate I Wish I Win won't be waiting for Noverre.

But he has the best in the business making the decision and that is just one more reason Noverre is the one to beat.