Performance of the Week

Opie Bosson (2,000 Career Wins)

This performance covers a fair bit more than the past week of racing, but it is hard to deny the spectacle we saw at Te Rapa on Saturday was anything short of incredible. Arguably one of the best to do it here in New Zealand, Opie Bosson joined the elite 2,000 club. Only the 8^th rider in New Zealand history to secure 2,000 domestic wins, it was a fitting way to bring up the milestone aboard the very smart Te Akau Racing 2YO Move To Strike, who was backed as if unbeatable and proved punters right. Opie has been a household name of New Zealand racing for years and is breathing rare air with the achievements he is now ticking off. Next stop 100 Group 1 wins for the legend?

Blackbooker

I Am Jazz

It was an eye-catching run from the locally trained filly at Hastings on debut. She was well supported in the market and run a bold race, doing all bar win. She got back just a touch worse than midfield and settled well for Joe Doyle, but it was the action in the straight that got my attention. She was spotting the leader about 6 lengths entering the straight and it took her about 100m to get in to her work and start to rattle home. Her acceleration inside the final 200m was electric and she posted the fastest closing 800m, 600m, 400m & 200m splits of the race, unsurprisingly. I don’t think she will be paying a lot when she steps out next start, but I do think she will be awfully hard to beat when we next see her on raceday.

Punters Plunge

Ears Back

She was a horse who captured everyone’s attention last prep, when she scored 4 wins in 5 starts to go from a maiden to a rating 75 grade horse. She has raced consistently at a pretty high level since, and punters were certainly happy to look past the failure in the Coupland’s Mile. She was back to rating 75 grade on Saturday and the punters couldn’t get enough on when she opened at the $10 quote. So much so that Ears Back was backed all the way in from that $10 mark to start as the $3.60 favourite in the race. It was a confident front-running ride and an easy watch for those who were on as she led them the whole way and held a 3.5 length margin on the line.

First Up Follow

Whangaehu

A horse we hadn’t seen race in New Zealand since March 2022, the writing was on the wall for the Bill Thurlow trained gelding, who was returning from some time in Australia. Put to sleep early and brought wide in to the straight in search of better going, Lisa Allpress took him to the outside where he sprouted wings inside the final furlong, but he never had the race won until right on the line. Thanks to the strong riding of Lisa Allpress, the pair bagged a scintillating win by just a head margin. Keep an eye on him as he progresses through this preparation, as he holds an Auckland Cup nomination, I suspect we will see him in some bigger races through the summer.

Futures Follow

Campionessa

For the Campionessa supporters out there, this felt like an easy watch from start to finish. She has been a high-class mare for a long time now and Saturday showed she is in a great vein of form at the moment. Settling in the one back, one out position, she was presented at the top of the straight and was full of running. She surged to the lead and never looked in any danger from there. The markets aren’t up for those races yet, but I suspect she will be a major player n races such as the Herbie Dyke Stakes and Zabeel Classic through the rest of the summer. I think we will see her secure a well-deserved Group 1 win this prep, following multiple placings at the highest-level last season.