Opie Bosson’s Brisbane dance card is filling up well with the champion rider already locked in for half a-dozen feature race mounts during the Queensland winter carnival.
All Bosson’s confirmed bookings to date are for New Zealand-trained contenders and he has enlisted the help of prominent Australian jockeys’ agent Mark Guest to increase his opportunities.
“I will be flying over on Friday and will be back and forth a bit. I’m coming back after this weekend, but I will be riding over there every weekend for the next month,” Bosson said.
“I’m looking forward to it and Mark will be trying to get me some more rides.”
Bosson will continue his association with Te Akau in Queensland and will open his offshore venture when he partners the Mark Walker-trained Sword Of State in the Gr.3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) on Saturday.
He has ridden the Snitzel colt in four of his six victories, including last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). This term, Sword Of State has been unbeaten in two appearances with success in the Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) and the Gr.3 King’s Plate (1200m).
The three-year-old has since been unplaced in a trial at Rotorua before winning an open 1100m heat at Matamata last month with Bosson aboard on both occasions.
“He was just a bit fat for the first one and took a lot of improvement from that and he should be spot on for Saturday,” he said.
Bosson will also take the reins on the Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Swords Drawn, who goes into Saturday’s Gold Coast Cup (2400m) off the back of his Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) victory.
“I’ve won a few on him and he should be another good ride,” Bosson said.
On Saturday week, he will team up with Sword Of State’s stablemate Entriviere who will resume in the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m). The Tavistock mare hasn’t raced since she finished runner-up in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m).
“Both of her trials have been really, really good and I’m looking forward to riding her,” said Bosson, who has won 10 Group One races Australia.
Bosson will also be aboard the Ben Foote-trained pair of Ruach in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) and Babylon Berlin in the Listed Magic Millions Bright Shadow (1100m) at Doomben on May 14.
They have travelled to Queensland with the Tony Pike team and the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) hopeful Ruach will also be nominated for an 1800m contest at the Sunshine Coast on May 15 should he not make the Rough Habit field.
“I rode him when he won his maiden and he’s a lovely horse, I think he’s a big chance over there,” Bosson said.
Ruach added to his record with further success at Ellerslie two runs back and booked his passage to Brisbane when a sound last-start second in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m).
Bosson’s Queensland line-up also includes the well-performed galloper The Chosen One who has been set for the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 21.
The Andrew Forsman-prepared six-year-old opened his domestic preparation with success in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) and placed at the top level in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) before departing for Sydney.
He finished third in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) before he was undone by a heavy track when beating only one runner home in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m).