Renowned for saddle choreography, Boss has been somewhat subdued of late. His most recent success was last Saturday at the Gold Coast on Fisticuffs (out of Sucker Punch) for owners John Singleton and rugby league enforcer Tom Raudonikis, who was no stranger to the knuckle, both giving and receiving.
Boss went to the post with mouth agape and head slewed to the camera, prompting critics to reckon he produced too much tongue.
Usually something original comes from Boss. All types of antics are being seen around the world, which is a far cry from yesteryear when jockeys greeted triumph stone-faced in fear of being declared a mug lair.
When returning after a big win, champion George Moore would only take off his skull cap and carry it under his arm, burying the emotion. Neville Voigt was the first jockey to show any outward joy, although it was reserved compared to his current day counterparts.
Frankie Dettori started the star jump, and Darren Beadman did it just as good. Now jockeys twist and turn, rise, rattle and roll with delight.
Perhaps topping them all, Italian hoop Mirco Demuro glided home with his arms outstretched airplane style when winning the 2019 Tokyo Daishoten on Omega Perfume.
Officialdom rightly takes a dim view of the showmanship on safely grounds. Top horsemen can get away with it; lesser lights attempting to emulate them can come to grief.
Thus it took a decade or so for diehards of tradition, guilty as charged, to acclimatise to Boss, who is a package that not only contains spirit and flair but remarkable horse skills that have hardly diminished with time. There are none better now from wide gates often a bugbear for rivals.
Before Fake Love was scratched yesterday from the Magic Millions Two-Year-old Classic, Boss would have had to overcome the 15 draw – but started from 14 on Fisticuffs at his Gold Coast performance, generating the “how good was that” exclamation at the finish.
Perhaps Away Game, from three, will be just too easy for him to generate much joy, but the $1.6 million first prize in the event will give a real spark to the New Year, in contrast to Sydney, which has lagged in recent weeks behind Melbourne.
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COVID, too much racing and weather will be bleats about the downward trend now and recent years but surely no excuse for a drab betting medium. On January 2, the unpopular Kensington circuit had only 70 starters compared to the corresponding Wyong provincial meeting’s 80.
Buried away in the period was the $161,000 Queen Of Turf Stakes, a group 3 rated higher if not as good as any on the Gold Coast today, at Gosford on December 29. Why not give the Central Coast, which is a major holiday venue, a standalone Saturday structured around it?
Turnover activity around Christmas and the New Year should be taken out of the doldrums with better programs plus the Villier-Summer Cup double recapturing its previous appeal.
Promotion and enthusiasm have built the Magic Millions. In the early 1990s the equine auction house struck financial difficulties and was purchased Gerry Harvey, John Singleton, and Rob Ferguson. Since 2011, the Magic Millions is co-owned by Harvey and his wife Katie Page, who has influenced the off-course pizazz.
Sydney needs a dash of Katie Page. Our spring is good, the autumn better. Christmas needs stimulation.
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