Champion jockey Opie Bosson is ready to go back to work and do his bit for a New Zealand jockeys’ room under siege.
Bosson returns to the saddle at Te Rapa for Waikato Cup day on Saturday, after being suspended for seven weeks.
Bosson was in the rare position of leading the premiership when he was suspended and since then Craig Grylls and Michael McNab have skied clear of him, with Lisa Allpress and impressive apprentice Kelsey Hannan now also ahead of him on the national table.
But there has been an even bigger development in the riding ranks with the sudden and successful arrival of overseas jockeys Warren Kennedy and Craig Zackey from South Africa and Joe Doyle from Ireland.
The newcomers have made a huge impression and all ridden black-type winners, adding unexpected but welcome depth to the jockey ranks which will also be boosted by the return of another suspended star in Sam Weatherley.