Racing: Oaks caps day of success

Opie Bosson took centre stage dominating the feature events at Trentham yesterday including a well-deserved victory aboard Keep The Peace in the $300,000 (Group One) New Zealand Oaks.

Keep The Peace's narrow but determined short head and half-head victory over November Rain and Zarzuela in the 2400m event continued a magical month of Group One 3-year-old victories for Cambridge-based trainer Shaune Ritchie.

Ritchie was the toast of the turf at Ellerslie two weeks ago when producing Military Move to win the New Zealand Derby.

That magical winning polish was produced yesterday by Ritchie who had the daughter of Keeper in faultless condition to wage a battle of stamina.

Bosson has a knack of getting his racehorses into the right spot at the right time in feature events and that was evident with the in-form jockey winning four races.

Keep The Peace's season looked to be finished at Te Rapa a month ago when she was checked by a fallen runner and was a little worse for wear due to bad interference.

Ritchie travelled the filly to a lower North Island race meeting for a handy second placing in her next start to peak her for the Oaks.

All credit must go to Ritchie for winning both of New Zealand's premier events for 3-year-olds - the Derby and Oaks.

"I knew we had this filly ready for this after her last-start when she finished second. Since that race she has just kept on improving," said Ritchie.

While a lot of other trainers may hog the limelight with their continuing success on race day Ritchie this month has clearly put up his hand as a leading conditioner of age group talent in New Zealand.

He is only the third trainer to win both the Derby and Oaks in the same season since the rationalisation of the classics in the 1970s.

Colin Jillings scored with the superb Uncle Remus, and Anthenaia in the 1977-78 season and Paul O'Sullivan with Popsy and Snaps in 1993-94.

Bosson got the Oaks ride on Keep The Peace after regular jockey Jason Waddell was suspended and unsuccessfully sought a stay of proceedings so he could have the mount.

The victory gave Bosson his fourth Oaks win after She's Country (2000), Bramble Rose (2003) and Princess Coup (2007).

BOSSON HAD earlier ridden the highly-regarded Wall Street like he was the best racehorse in the $70,000 (Group Three) Rich Hill Thompson Handicap.

Wall Street won with a great deal in hand scoring by 1 lengths over Cassini and All In Tempo in the 1600m feature.

Wall Street captured the Thorndon Mile on the same track over the same distance in late January.

Sir Slick and Bruce Almighty set a blistering pace in front from the start with Wall Street tucked away fourth on the rails and lobbing along nicely.

The 5-year-old Montjeu gelding rolled through a gap in the straight and cruised to the lead, easing up at the line, to win from the fast-finishing Cassini with All in Tempo taking third.

Bosson was also successful aboard Deltoro and Lion Tamer reinforcing his class and composure on feature days. FORMER LEADING apprentice jockey Troy Harris has been charged with a serious racing offence following an incident at the Matamata Racing Club meeting on Wednesday.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has charged when he was directed to supply a sample of his urine for analysis he committed a dishonest act with respect to supplying it.

The hearing will be at Te Rapa on March 30.