The One To Watch – Opie Bosson
Opie Bosson Reins Supreme In The Twilight Of His Career
In a sports world obsessed and put into context by statistics, the phenomenal haul of veteran Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson has to be studied twice to truly appreciate. In a 23 year career in the ruthless racing industry, the 37 year old has amassed over $35 million in gross earnings for his paymasters and taken home around 5% of that figure as due compensation. For, the road that competitive jockeys travel is not an easy one. Amassing a fortune as a madman jockey isn’t a matter of winning one big race and for one of the country’s top riders, the workload justifies the rewards. How Bosson’s career earnings translates is the remarkable part and in 2018, his win count is over 1600, fifty of those triumphs coming in the premier Group One category. Mounting for over 10,000 rides since his debut in 1995, his greatest local successes have come in his twilight. Two Auckland Cups were claimed in 2011 and 2013 but in recent times, Bosson has taken home the most lucrative event in Cup Week twice in the last three attempts. His $1 million win on Gingernuts last year followed up his 2015 charge on Australian mount, Mongolian Khan. His perseverance has certainly paid off as big (as in huge) paydays aren’t often found in his home nation.
Bosson’s greatest success in the saddle came at the 2015 Caulfield Cup, with $3.5 Aussie million the catch for his boss. And, for Bosson, it wasn’t looking likely when his all-important weight ballooned from a streamlined 56 kilograms to 78. Such is the life of a professional jockey, he did what was absolutely necessary to be race ready and his individual purse from the famous race was close to $100,000 in his home currency. However, the status of winning one of Australasia’s top three stakes was the real prize. Citing it as the greatest win of his career, Bosson would find himself quickly plying his brutal trade in such rural racing hotbeds as Te Aroha near Thames. For the local race scene though, the glamour of Auckland Cup Week is real and Bosson will no doubt be commanding a ride on one of the favourites.
Opie Bosson’s Track Record
Starts: 10209
Wins: 1609
Win percentage: 16%