Racing: Opie Bosson returns at Te Rapa

Opie Bosson. Photo / Trish Dunell

Champion jockey Opie Bosson is ready to go back to work and do his bit for a New Zealand jockeys’ room under siege.

Bosson returns to the saddle at Te Rapa for Waikato Cup day on Saturday, after being suspended for seven weeks.

Bosson was in the rare position of leading the premiership when he was suspended and since then Craig Grylls and Michael McNab have skied clear of him, with Lisa Allpress and impressive apprentice Kelsey Hannan now also ahead of him on the national table.

But there has been an even bigger development in the riding ranks with the sudden and successful arrival of overseas jockeys Warren Kennedy and Craig Zackey from South Africa and Joe Doyle from Ireland.

The newcomers have made a huge impression and all ridden black-type winners, adding unexpected but welcome depth to the jockey ranks which will also be boosted by the return of another suspended star in Sam Weatherley.

Bosson is ready to go back to work after keeping busy during his break.

“I have ridden a lot,” he told the Herald. “I drive down to Matamata three times a week to ride as many as [trainer] Mark Walker wants me to in trackwork and I have been busy at the trials.

“And I have been working hard in the gym so I am riding 57kg this weekend and if the right horse came along I am aiming to be able to ride at 54.5kg later in the summer.

“The timing wasn’t the worst with the suspension because I got to spend lots of time with our new daughter Honor but I am ready to go back to work now.

“I have been watching the new guys doing well and good on them, they are good riders but we have some top riders here as well so it should be a competitive summer.”

Bosson has seven rides at Te Rapa, including topweight and 2019 winner Justamaiz in the Waikato Cup.

As usual, many of his rides will be for Te Akau, for who he is the retained rider, including last-start Sarten Memorial winner Wild Night in a high-class three-year-old race.

Wild Night will need all of Bosson’s skill on Saturday as he has 59kg and barrier 11 in a hot field as he starts to be prepared for the $1 million Karaka Classic Mile next month in which he will clash with superstar filly Legarto.

Bosson says he is still unsure who is the best of Te Akau’s two-year-olds as the Karaka Million meeting on January 21 looms, but he is looking forward to riding Torbriand in the juvenile event that kicks off Saturday’s programme after liking how he feels in trackwork.