Boss Loves His Newcastle Rides
Story By Chris Scholtz
Tuesday, 7 September 2010:  | | Ilovethiscity |
Boss is looking for a ride in the $185,000 Tooheys New Newcastle Gold Cup on Thursday week to give him the chance of landing the three prestige Group races at the two-day carnival.
Boss has already been snapped up to ride the Graham Begg's classy three-year-old prospect Ilovethiscity in the $175,000 MGA Insurance Spring Stakes to complement his long standing booking for Epsom prospect Star Of Octagonal in the $150,000 Patinack Farm Cameron Handicap.
The Cameron and Spring Stakes will be run on the first day of the carnival on Wednesday week with Nikolic and Winks also coming from Melbourne for the two days.
Nikolic is booked to continue his association with the Peter Snowden-trained sprinter Pinwheel in the Cameron Handicap while Winks has been invited to ride horses for the Patinack Farm stable over the two days.
Boss jumped at the offer to ride Ilovethiscity in the Group 3 Spring Stakes after noting the colt's luckless second to Melbourne star Toorak Toff in the $1 million Golden Rose (14500m) at Rosehill on August 28.
Boss has also agreed to ride Ilovethiscity in the $1 million Caulfield Guineas on October 13 if the colt runs to his expectations at Broadmeadow.
Boss has a big record in the spring feature races at Newcastle, having won two Newcastle Cups (Emnerald Cut; Agincourt Express); two Cameron Handicaps (Kingsgate; Collate) and a Spring Stakes (Lotteria).
"I didn't have to be asked twice by Grahame Begg to ride his horse at Newcastle, Boss said.
He is a quality galloper and will be hard to beat.
"I am also going to ride Star Of Octagonal again. He is a real serious horse in the making.
"I will ride both days at Newcastle and hopefully I can pick a good mount in the Cup.
Star Of Octagonal is on track for the Cameron after he won a 1000m barrier trial at Wyong on Monday after he missed his planned first-up run at Randwick last Saturday due to trainer Todd Howlett's concern about the track conditions.
'I wanted him pushed out and he had a decent gallop,' Howlett said after Star Of Octagonal won the trial by four lengths ridden by his regular Broadmeadow track jockey Andrew Gibbons.
Boss formed a successful association with Star Of Octagonal in the autumn when they combined to win the G3 South Pacific Classic and $700,000 Scone Guineas.
Winks was offered the opportunity to ride at Newcastle for the Patinack stable after his Group 2 win for the stable on No Evidence Needed at Flemington last Saturday.
"James won the Let's Elope Stakes for Patinack and they were impressed enough to offer him rides at Newcastle," said Winks' manager Ralph Horowitz.
"He is available for other rides including the Newcastle Cup."
Winks is now linked with top Melbourne trainer Danny O'Brien as his stable rider but has been given the all clear to return to Newcastle for the first time since his days as an apprentice.
Winks is no stranger to Broadmeadow, having spent several months at Newcastle eight years ago riding for the late Max Lees.
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