New Zealand

OPIE Bosson, one of the greatest jockeys New Zealand has produced, announced his retirement from riding last week.

Bosson, 44, won 99 Group 1 races in a glittering career that saw him inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2023.

He was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his contribution to the thoroughbred industry in the 2023 King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours.

Among Bosson’s biggest wins were the Group 1 Australian Derby and Group 1 Caulfield Cup aboard Mongolian Khan in 2015 and nine Group 1 wins on champion mare Imperatriz.

“My association with Imperatriz was the highlight of my career. Horses like that don’t come along every day and to be involved in her big wins in Melbourne is something I’ll never forget,” Bosson said.

“Once she retired, it became a lot harder for me to keep going. It’s just the right time to hang up my boots now. I feel I’ve given all I had to give.”

“It’s time for me to start working for a future after racing, something I can be happy in,” Bosson said.

“I’ve had some great times in racing. I just want to thank all the owners and trainers who have supported me, and for all the camaraderie from the jockeys I’ve ridden with, and all the support I’ve got from the racing public all over New Zealand.”

Career tally

Bosson brought up his 2,000th New Zealand win aboard Move To Strike at Te Rapa in December 2023 and finishes with a career tally of 2,146 wins, 2,059 of those coming in New Zealand. He won 16 races at Group 1 level in Australia.

Among those to pay tribute to Bosson on newstalkzb.com was his long-time mentor and friend David Ellis.

“Opie established himself as world-class, especially the way he rode Imperatriz. He’s been a massive part of our stable,” Ellis said.

“He’s had to battle weight problems throughout his career and for him to keep going as long as he did and with the success is a real credit to him. He’s been a great friend and we’ll never forget the success we’ve had together.

Zabeel Classic (Group 1)

THE Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained Snazzytavi, wearing the black and yellow checks of Brendan and Jo Lindsay, saluted in the Group 1 feature on St Stephen’s Day, the Zabeel Classic, sponsored by the Lindsay’s Cambridge Stud.

Racing right-handed over the Ellerslie 2,000 metres, Snazzytavi, the Group 1 Livamol Classic winner in October, chimed in with dual Group 1 winner La Crique, the pair surging to the lead.

Catching the leaders with 100 metres remaining, they were locked together on the line as the nose margin went the way of the Tavistock mare over the Vadamos filly La Crique. With third going the way of the Shocking gelding El Vencedor.

“On the line I thought I had it, but I must give credit to La Crique as she was super brave and came back at me,” said jockey Warren Kennedy.

“This mare (Snazzytavi) showed a lot of bravery and stuck her neck out. We were worried about the pace and they did end up crawling. I got on the back of La Crique where I wanted to be as I thought Nabba (Michael McNab) would give me a good pull into it.

Fantastic

“It was a fantastic win, you don’t want to go down on a $1.80 favourite and you don’t want it to be that close, but we’re all here for the spectacle and it was a great fight. I’m very proud of her that she got on top.

“It’s taken a bit of time, we always thought she had ability, but for her to bring it to the fore like this is just fantastic. For Brendan and Jo, obviously they have been huge supporters of me, so to win the race they sponsor is really special.”

THE Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes for three-year-old fillies has unearthed an early contender for the New Zealand Oaks following the win of the Vadamos filly Real Class.

Held on New Year’s Day at Ellerslie over 2,000m, the Jenna Mahoney-trained filly was under a solid hold and mid-field in the 11-horse field.

Too smart

Releasing the brake at the 800m mark, Rory Hutchings let Real Class slide forward with ease as she took up the running before the home turn. With challengers at her girth, both on the inside and to the outside, Real Class was too smart, coasting away for an easy win.

Flashing home late from well back in the field was the Belardo filly Bella Montagna with a big gap to the third placed Island Life, also by Vadamos.

Top ride

“It was a top ride from Rory,” said Mahoney who also owns Real Class with her partner Gareth Dixon and trains out of the Byerley Park complex.

“It is nice to have another handy one in the stable. She should love the 2,400m, the further she goes the better she will get I think,” added Mahoney with a view towards the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham in March.

Though Mahoney has not ruled out a deal being struck with Australian bloodstock agents. “There has been a fair bit of interest from Australia, so we will see what happens”.

Australia

CO Kildare-born Luke Dempsey won his first stakes race in Australia, taking out the Group 3 Vo Rouge Plate at Eagle Farm on the final Saturday of 2024.

Aboard the Barry Lockwood-trained Give Me Space, the pair were last with 300 remaining of the 1,300m event for three-year-olds at set-weights.

At just his sixth start, the Cosmic Force gelding showed impressive speed to swoop the field as the widest runner and win by a neck. Second was the Zoustar gelding Street Chase with a length back to the Hellbent gelding Hella Fast.

“That was some performance, nothing went right for him,” said 28-year-old Dempsey. “I knew he’d get back, but I didn’t plan him to be that far back. But once he straightened up and he got that clear air, he’s really run home, he’s a brilliant horse. Brilliant win, brilliant to ride a group winner.”

The win puts Give Me Space squarely in the frame for the A$3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on January 11th where he is now on the fourth line of betting.

A $75,000 Magic Millions purchase from Newgate Farm Give Me Space has now won three from six, being unplaced once.

Working holiday

Dempsey, arriving in Victoria for a three-month working holiday in 2023 parlayed that into a year’s stay that has since become full-time.

Having ridden his first winner at Hanging Rock, famous for the 1975 Peter Weir film Picnic at Hanging Rock, in January 2024, Dempsey made the move north at the end of the jumps season in August with almost instant success.

“Just by chance I ended up in Queensland and ended up in Barry’s (Barry Lockwood) and it’s been brilliant. It’s gone much better than I could ever have expected. It’s been a great move.”

From 46 Queensland rides to date, Dempsey has 10 winners with Saturday’s Vo Rouge his current high-water mark.

THE father-and-son stable of Chris and Corey Munce, based at Eagle Farm, have welcomed 26-year-old Siobhan Rutledge to their ranks with the 2015 RACE graduate knocking on the door for her first win having been in the country for barely a month.

From Co. Meath, Rutledge has ran third twice from just four rides.

“I have been really enjoying it but it was a real culture shock the first week,” said Rutledge. “It is a completely different style of training and exercising the horses in the mornings, let alone racing.

“In fairness, they have been very patient with me in the yard and I suppose it is a different term of communication – just different ways of telling me what sort of trackwork to do as everything is timed.

“But, I am getting the hang of it now and I am actually really enjoying it. It is a really good way of doing things and very different to back home.”