3 minute read

Glen Boss enhanced his reputation as Australia's hottest big race jockey on March 25 when he combined with Paddy O'Reilly to overcome the strongest line-up ever to contest an Albury Gold Cup.

The Robert Smerdon-trained gelding upstaged a star-studded field littered with Group One performers including the Lee Freedman-trained duo of Fanjura and Speed Gifted, Extra Zero, Playwright, C'est La Guerre and Kiwi raider Ginga Dude.

Boss gave Paddy O'Reilly the run of the race, pounced on the lead at the top of the home straight and fought on strongly over the concluding stages to hold off the well-backed Extra Zero by half-a-length with a gallant Speed Gifted a neck further back ahead of Fanjura and C'Est La Guerre.

The victory handed Boss his first Albury Gold Cup after he was narrowly beaten aboard the Barbara Marshman-trained Bolle two years ago.

Smerdon is a previous winner of the feature event after he combined with champion jockey Damien Oliver to win with Hofmeister in 2007.

Boss said the victory didn't come without some anxious moments after Paddy O'Reilly began tardily from the gates.

"The horse didn't have much luck in the first 600 metres," Boss said.

"But once we went about 600 metres he was relaxed and dropped the bit beautifully and gave me a great ride.

"He has got good stamina this horse and it has taken him three starts this preparation to reach peak fitness.

"It was his fourth run back from a long lay-off and all credit goes to the Smerdon stable."

The champion hoop has been in career-best form and rode four stakes winners at Rosehill on March 19.

Boss is in huge demand from city trainers but says he still tries to make time to support country meetings.

"I love getting to these big country meetings," Boss said.

"The country is the backbone of our whole racing industry.

"I'm a country kid at heart and come from the country so I try and support as many as these country meetings as I can."

Paddy O'Reilly resumed at Sandown in February after almost 18-months off the scene with injury.

"He's a fair horse and there always has been a decent race in him," Smerdon said.

"He had a good spell and then he chipped a fetlock and had to have another spell and was a long time off the scene.

"But with the O'Reilly breed that's only a plus because they really thrive with time.

"He is a big, gross horse and was always going to take a few runs to reach peak fitness," he said.

The Caulfield-based trainer ruled out targeting the rich Sydney autumn carnival with Paddy O'Reilly likely to head to the spelling paddock.

"This was always his aim so we might tip him out and start again in the spring."

Connections were forced to endure a nervous wait shortly after the race when Speed Gifted's jockey Hugh Bowman viewed footage of the concluding stages before deciding against a protest.