Opie Bosson has never partnered high-class mare Entriviere on race day, but the champion jockey is confident their first time together at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day will be an occasion to savour.
Te Akau’s retained rider will be aboard three of trainer Jamie Richards’ black type contenders with Entriviere bidding for Group One honours in the Sistema Railway (1200m).
Bosson and Richards were again a hot combination on the opening day of the Auckland Christmas carnival on Boxing Day with Belle En Rouge successful in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), On The Bubbles won the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) and Festivity landed the Hallmark Stud Sprint (1200m).
They are again expected to be a major force to be reckoned with on Saturday with Entriviere receiving a big tick from Bosson, who will also ride stablemates I Choose You in the Gr.2 First Global Logistics Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and Outfit in the Gr.2 Valachi Downs Royal Stakes (2000m).
Both are also form contenders and I Choose You’s prospects can be gauged by Bosson’s desire to ride the filly at 54.5kg, just as he did to win the recent Listed Fasttrack Insurance Stakes (1100m) on barnmate Bright Blue Sky.
Entriviere goes into the Railway first-up off the back off a three-start spring campaign in Sydney where she triumphed in the Gr.2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) and Bosson was impressed with her trial win at Rotorua earlier this month.
“She is a lovely mare and I’ve ridden her in her last two gallops and her work has been outstanding,” he said.
“She’s got a nice barrier draw and I think she is going to be very hard to beat. She’s up to that level, for sure.”
The daughter of Tavistock has been successful in six of her 10 appearances and is a three-time course and distance winner, including Group Three wins in the Concorde Handicap (1200m) and the King’s Plate (1200m).
I Choose You made a winning debut last month at Te Aroha where she accounted for stablemate Grace ‘N’ Grey, who was successful on Boxing Day to sit second in order of entry to the Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).
By I Am Invincible, I Choose You was a A$500,000 yearling purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis and agent Andrew Williams and is from the family of dual Group One-winning sprinter Bawalaksana.
“She’s a very good filly and worked really well on Thursday morning and I couldn’t be happier with her,” Bosson said.
Tivaci filly Outfit looks a progressive type and was a comfortable maiden winner over 1600m at Te Rapa last time out.
“She gave me a nice feel when I won on her, but she has got a bad draw (13) so I’m hoping for a bit of luck,” Bosson said.
Bred and raced by Waikato Stud, Outfit is a daughter of the two-time Group One winning Savabeel mare Costume and holds Group One nominations for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and the Wellington Seamarket Levin Classic (1600m).
Bosson’s remaining mount on New Year’s Day is the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Dionysus in the Dunstan Feeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m).
The Ocean Park four-year-old has won two of his five starts this preparation and was runner-up in a series qualifier over 2200 metres on Boxing Day.
“It was a good run last start and he’s another one with a bad gate (15), but I do think he will run the 2400m out so he’s a chance,” said Bosson, who will be riding Dionysus for the first time.