Boss And Bosson Ready For Valley Battle
Story By Racing Editor Chris Scholtz
Friday, 24 October 2008:  | | Glen Boss |
A keen and lean Glen Boss reported that he had shed 5kg and is ready to ride the filly Samantha Miss at the required 47.5kg.
Boss has had to lose a lot of weight to get down to the 47.5 kilograms Samantha Miss will carry in the Plate.
Trainer Kris Lees says he has no doubt Boss is fit and well despite a gruelling diet and exercise program over the last four days.
"He's at the weight now, he'll be spot on," Lees said.
"He's in a good frame of mind, he's nice and strong.
“He's the least of our worries."
Boss has restricted himself to only one ride on tomorrow's program to ensure he does justice to Samantha Miss in her bid to become only the second three-year-old filly to win the Cox Plate.
Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson, to ride joint favourite Princess Coup, arrived in Melbourne on Friday morning and went straight to Moonee Valley to walk the track with former champion rider and four-time Cox Plate winner Brent Thomson.
Bosson has not ridden at Moonee Valley since the 1990s and Thomson was recruited to point out the vagaries of the tight circuit and to help him formulate race tactics for backmarker Princess Coup.
Thomsen advised Bosson that he needs to ensure he is not wide on the turns at the 1600m and 1200m and to try and ensure he gets clear running and is not impeded by tiring horses from the 800m.
The Moonee Valley track was today rated a dead 5 but an upgrade is expected. With the rail back in the true position there is a view that on pace runners may be favoured.
The popular race map picture has Maldivian and Theseo driving forward to set the pace with Alamosa, Zarita and Gallant Tess ridden forward.
A solid pace is expected from the start as Maldivian is expected to be keen with blinkers on and Theseo's rider Nash Rawiller has signalled his intention to go for the lead from the outside gate.
Samantha Miss is expected to be ridden closer than in her Sydney runs due to her light weight and will settle midfield.
Raheeb will be another midfield runner with Sirmione ahead of Princess Coup, Zipping, C'est La Geurre and Master O'Reilly.
The Cox Plate charge begins between then 800m and 600m when horses in the second half of the field start to make their moves.
It may be the point when Boss attempts to take advantage of his big weight advantage on Samantha Miss by trying to steal a break on the backmarkers.
Cox Plate horses can noticeably “hit the wall” on the last turn at the 400m and from there it often becomes a slog with the stronger stayers running home strongly.
Princess Coup has shown she can sustain a strong finishing sprint for 400m off a fast pace and that will be needed to reel in the Cox Plate front runners.
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