Racing: Bosson makes Dame Nellie proud

Dame Nellie Melba would have been proud.

She would have said "good on the jockeys".

They all come back.

Dame Nellie, one of the world's magnificent songbirds, was the comeback queen in the late 19th and early 20th century, famous for her "retirement" appearances.

She would not have cared that Opie Bosson, one of the great New Zealand jockeys, had to struggle through the heaviest footing in a year or two at Dargaville yesterday to make his first raceday appearance in nearly two years.

Coming back is all that matters.

New Zealand's greatest racing news in months is that Bosson has returned to the raceday saddle.

He might have finished only second aboard Bridie Belle in three rides on comeback, but you knew headlines were weeks away.

Lisa Cropp. Jim Collett, David Walsh, Catherine Treymane and Chris Johnson are all back-from-retirement jockeys representing a huge percentage of the jockeys' talent bank.

Bosson went from being one of racing's highest earners to working for wages when he retired.

That may be an incentive to return, but only one of them.

"You miss the adrenaline rush," says Jim Collett, who got Jokers Wild home at group one level in the Manawatu Sires Produce and landed Cog Hill to win at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Collett spent more than two years in retirement.

"To be fair, if you're successful as a jockey in horse racing, it's a top lifestyle - you're an important figure in a big business."

By his own count, Collett has retired six times.

"When you stop, the phone stops.

"The things it's done for me in terms of dollars - and that's only one area - the average person would not understand.

"I've watched Opie lately and for the first time I've admired the way he's taken his weight down.

"He's got a property and a family to look after. That's probably been a big incentive."

Bosson's wife, former jockey Sam Spratt, was badly injured as a rider, but made a comeback then retired after a few months.

Opie Bosson's talent will always shine through in New Zealand.

"He's got a huge amount of natural talent," said veteran rider David Walsh, who spent two years away from the saddle, and is now in the headlines again.

"I thought: why not ride while I can because there will be a time when I won't be able to.

"It's still a competitive thing, and that doesn't alway stay with you."

In what he says was weeks, Bosson reduced his weight from 72kg to 58kg through a wellness diet company and he hopes to get lighter.

Bosson has ridden 20 group one winners.