Words by Ray Hickson, Racing NSW
Champion jockey Glen Boss has made an artform out of latching on to an emerging three-year-old when it comes to what he calls racing’s “fifth major” – Saturday’s Group 1 $1.5m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m).
Glen Boss chases his eighth Doncaster Mile at Randwick on Saturday. Back in 1996 Boss first etched his name onto the Doncaster honour roll, on Sprint By for Gai Waterhouse, and he’s done it six more times in the years since then.
He says it’s no coincidence that the past five have been on three-year-olds – Brutal last year, Kermadec (2015), Triple Honour (2008), Haradasun (2007) and Racing To Win (2006) – and he’s aiming to add Brandenburg to that illustrious list at Randwick this weekend.
“They fly under the radar, a lot of them beat the handicapper, and they all run well,’’ Boss said.
“I’ve noticed, in history, even some long shots run well because they have no weight.
“With 50.5kg Brandenburg has to run well.’’
The John Sargent-trained colt has the type of form line that Boss says makes him a serious Doncaster player and as the $6.50 TAB favourite the market seems to agree.
He scored a shock first-up win in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) then proved it was no fluke running third in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) behind Shadow Hero and Microphone.
Then came the Boss litmus test and Brandenburg filled him with confidence as he was beaten 1.7 lengths by Dreamforce in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), a race four of his five three-year-old winners have contested on the way through.
“I said to Sarge ‘mate you’ve got to run him (in the Ryder), it’s always the best form race’,’’ Boss said.
“I wouldn’t be expecting to beat those horses at weight-for-age but if he runs within a couple of lengths and runs well it basically says you’re just about the winner of the Doncaster.
“To his credit he ran better than I expected.’’
Boss said the Ryder showed him just how far Brandenburg has come since he rode him into second place in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) back in October.
“They absolutely crawled that day and he was an unruly type of horse,’’ he said.
“He didn’t have a race pattern, he was a bit aggressive so Sarge just asked me to right him quiet and teach him to settle.
“They cantered and came home in land speed record and he ripped home. I got off and said ‘Sarge this is a Group 1 horse’.
“His racing pattern is better now, he’s got a bit more tactical. Rachel (King) sat up on the speed and he won and the other day I box seated and he ran well. That’s going to help me out a lot.’’
If Boss can make it eight Doncasters on Saturday he’ll complete the Epsom-Doncaster double in the same season having claimed the Epsom on Kolding back in October.
It’s easy to forget Boss also won the TAB Everest and Golden Eagle in the spring and while those races carried significant riches it’s clear the Doncaster is a special race to him and one he’ll never stop wanting to win.
“It’s a wonderful race to win and when I won it back on Sprint By for Gai it basically got my riding career on an upward spiral,’’ he said.
“It’s almost like the Player’s Championships, they always say it’s the fifth major.
“That’s what the Doncaster is, it’s our biggest mile handicap in Australia and only good horses win it. You don’t see many flukes in the race.’’
Original Source & Full Article – https://www.racingnsw.com.au/news/latest-racing-news/boss-keen-to-stamp-his-brand-on-eighth-doncaster/
