Decorah draws away in the $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie yesterday. Photo / Trish Dunell
Winning a race like the $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup is an owner's dream.
Producing a quinella is beyond dreams.
Allan Jackson owns a large slice of the winner Decorah and 15 per cent of the runner-up Rose Of Virginia.
Much has been written about the quality of the training efforts by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman - all of it justified, but if there was a real hero here it was the ride of Opie Bosson.
Jackson called it a "mastercraftsman ride"; Baker described it as perfect.
Bosson, as usual, played it down with modesty.
"She was travelling beautifully all the way. She cruised into it when I asked her to go forward at the 600m and I was pretty confident a fair way out."
Bosson said his only concern was when Decorah was on her own in front a fair way out on the track.
"She started to wander and look around a bit, but she stuck to it well and she can handle tracks like that. I remember winning on her at Manawatu in much worse ground and she travelled well."
Rose Of Virginia fought hard for second ahead of King Kamada.
Although she is no bigger than a pony, the six-year-old daughter of Waikato Stud sire Pins had put the writing on the wall that a big performance was on offer after she finished a gallant third carrying top weight of 60kg behind Vavasour in the Waikato Cup at her last start.
Heavy rain during the morning brought Decorah further into contention given her record on wet tracks with punters installing her second favourite behind Farm Boy at start time.
Race favourite Farm Boy and rider Vinnie Colgan seized the initiative approaching the home turn as they established a three-length advantage commencing the run home.
I remember winning on her at Manawatu in much worse ground and she travelled well.
Bosson hadn't panicked as he set out after the leader with Decorah hitting the front with 300 metres to run. Challenged gamely by first Rose Of Virginia and then King Kamada, the mare found plenty in reserve as she won drawing away at the finish by a comfortable one and a quarter lengths in 2.33.67 for the 2400 metre journey.
Baker was delighted with the performance of stablemate Show The World who flashed home from the rear of the field to take fifth.
- Additional reporting: NZ Racing Desk
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