Racing: Bosson times finishing run perfectly

Keep The Peace holds off November Rain and Zarzuela in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on Saturday. Photo / NZPA

You just have to love Opie Bosson.

He's not only New Zealand's best jockey by a margin, he doesn't get precious about himself.

Bosson's most admirable quality - apart from his extraordinary horsemanship - is he never, and for that read never, resorts to the jockeys' excuse book.

"I might have gone a bit too soon," said Bosson immediately after winning Saturday's $300,000 Wellfield Oaks at Trentham on Keep The Peace.

He said the same thing before he'd even weighed in from winning the $70,000 Rich Hill Thompson Handicap on raging favourite Wall Street three races earlier.

And he said it both times he rode Katie Lee at the Ellerslie Christmas/New Year carnival.

Honesty at that level springs from supreme confidence in your own ability.

And Bosson stands alone.

The very best riders are rarely unlucky - as is the necessity in all facets of horse racing, participants make their own luck.

Bad luck rarely finds Bosson.

He had no need for self-criticism on Keep The Peace.

It was his first ride on the filly and technically she did scoot three or four lengths clear a fair way from the winning post and held on to win by one stride, suggesting if she'd been held up for five more strides she possibly would have won more comfortably.

Possibly. Possibly not.

When Bosson drove her clear at the top of the home straight it was exactly at the time the two that chased her down, November Rain and Zarzuela, were experiencing difficulties getting a clear run.

Bosson had to make his run when he did.

You can make a case that if Keep The Peace hadn't established the break she did she may not have held out the other pair. We'll never know.

Bosson was also referring to the fact that although it might have appeared that Keep The Peace only just managed to successfully handle the 2400m, he felt she would accomplish the distance, and possibly more, if able to be ridden more quietly.

Trainer Shaune Ritchie, enjoying a remarkable season, now waits for the nod from Keep The Peace's owners Paul Bellingham, former jockey Mick Dittman and son Luke to add the filly to his Sydney assault, during which Ritchie will aim his Telecom NZ Derby winner Military Move at the AJC Derby.

"If the boys make the decision to have a crack at the Oaks in Sydney it will set her up for Melbourne in the spring," said Ritchie yesterday.

It's undeniable that New Zealand horses improve, mentally as much as physically, as a result of their first Australian campaign.

"And it's not like she's going to have to campaign in Sydney - she'll be in and out in five days.

"She'd get used to the climate and the other thing it will achieve is getting a line on whether she's up to the best Australian fillies.

"I've no doubt she is, but it's better to see it than say it."

Ritchie is sure Keep The Peace will be in even better shape for the AJC Oaks.

"I don't believe she was 100 per cent for this race.

"Getting knocked around in that fillies' race at Te Rapa really flattened her. She went really dull and she was in grave danger of not getting to this Oaks."

Ritchie said the campaign was saved only by wife Alison spending a week with Keep The Peace at Foxton Beach.

The AJC Oaks is every bit the staying test the Oaks at Trentham is and Ritchie is unconcerned.

"Watch her down the back straight, she was so relaxed back in the field and would have gone further yesterday had the pattern of the race not dictated that she had to take off when she did."

The victory again underlined how disappointing the elimination of the American Oaks is from the schedule.

The Hollywood Park event, run the first week in July, has been downgraded from US$750,000 to US$250,000 and is no longer an invitation race.

The field on Saturday looked strong on paper and although there were a couple of below-par efforts, the placegetters November Rain and Zarzuela were not among them.

Both had trouble working into the clear around the home bend and either could have won with a better trip.

NZ Oaks:

* Keep The Peace held on to win narrowly after shooting clear at the 300m.

* Rider Opie Bosson thought he possibly sprinted too soon, but it turned out to be an astute ride.

* The AJC Oaks is now the strong possibility.