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Legend Boss chasing 100 Group 1s during 2021 TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival

30 April 2021

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DSE-9648.jpgBy Jordan Gerrans

In a career littered with stunning achievements, Caboolture product Glen Boss believes bringing up a ton of Group 1 winners on Queensland soil would be a “magic moment”.

The champion jockey is back where it all began for the next 10 weeks, basing himself on the God Coast, and is sure to be one of the main attractions of the 2021 TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

The 51-year-old was on hand to help launch the carnival on Thursday morning at Eagle Farm and instead of looking from just week to week across the prized segment of the Queensland racing season, the legend is thinking big.

Staged over 10 action-packed Saturdays, the Winter Carnival has received a prize money increase to $20.5 million – a $2 million uplift from its 2019 counterpart – and will feature 53 black-type races including eight Group 1s.

With eight Group 1s on offer in the near future, Queenslander Boss needs just four more to bring up triple figures.

“It would be a tall order to win half of them to chalk up my 100 but if I could get 100, there would be no place I would rather do it than Queensland,” the multiple Melbourne Cup winner said.

“It would be one of those magic moments that would be up there with all the things I have done, winning my 100th Group 1 on Queensland soil.

“It would be something I would cherish forever.”

The Sydney-based Boss was overjoyed to be back in Queensland, describing it as his natural habitat while also noting he could not wipe the smile off his own face since the moment he arrived.

He plans to relocate back to the Sunshine State once he is finally done with riding as a career.

But do not count on that being any time soon for one of the great showmen of the racing industry.

Reflecting on the 96 Group 1 winners in his career already, Boss says the kid that grew up not far away from where the 2021 TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival will be run, always wanted to be the best he could at his craft.

“Even when I started, that is what you wanted to do, ride 100 Group 1 winners or ride the Melbourne Cup, that is what you want to do,” Boss said.

“That is what you get into the game to do and I still have a few more good years in me, hopefully I can show Queenslanders what I can still do over the next few months.”

DSE-9285.jpgRacing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell (pictured) is excited to see Boss back in Queensland once again, alongside many other expected gun riders.

“There are star jockeys coming to Queensland, as well as our residents like Michael Rodd, who has returned home, and the Gympie gun Glen Boss,” Parnell said.

“Boss is up here for the carnival.

“The TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival is going to be a ripper.”

Looking ahead to the first day of the carnival this Saturday, Boss says he cannot wait to see punters back on course at Eagle Farm, declaring he feeds from their energy when he is in a big race.

“Hopefully the winter carnival up here, it gives people an opportunity to celebrate,” he said.

“You love the crowds, you feed off it and get a lot of energy from them.

“Going through COVID with no one at the races, it was so surreal and weird, it was disappointing really.

“Now, we had a great summer carnival up here with the people out and about, people are in for a treat this winter with some of the best riders and horses in Australia, which are both world class.”

Potentially one of the four needed to raise the bat, Boss cannot wait to showcase Sir Dragonet in the Group 1 Doomben Cup and  the inaugural $1.2 million Group 2 Sky Racing Q22.

The Cox Plate winner is just getting started, he thinks.

“We have not seen the best of this colt; he is still on the improve,” Boss said.

“He is going to be awfully hard to beat in both those races and I am excited about showcasing him to Queenslanders.

“He is going to go on in the spring and be competitive again in another Cox Plate, he is a very special colt.”

While there is no Group 1s on offer in the first afternoon of the carnival, there is two Group 2s and a Listed race, and Boss has chances in two of the three black-type events.

Races

DSE-9477.jpgIn the Victory Stakes, champion hoop Boss rides Vega One for premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan and thinks he can upset Trekking if the top sprinter is slightly off his game.

The 2019 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap champion, Trekking, arrived in Queensland earlier this week and is rated a $2.10 chance with the TAB to take out his first assignment of the winter, the WFA feature over 1200m.

“Of the back of his first run and knowing that he springboards of his first run into his second-up effort, I am expecting him to run very well,” Boss said of Vega One.

“Trekking is going to be very hard, obviously, he is a very good horse, but if he does not have his A-game – Tony is expecting Vega One to run super.

“Vega One is a very good horse in his own right, Tony has a great team behind him and his horses are flying at the moment.

“I am sure he will be expecting this horse to run super.”

Vega One is rated a $10 chance with the TAB, just behind Emerald Kingdom at $9.50, who will be ridden by local jockey Stephanie Thornton on Saturday.

The new-look TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival officially kicks off its 10 action-packed Saturdays with the Group 2 Queensland Guineas, the Group 2 Victory Stakes and Listed Dalrello Stakes this Saturday afternoon.

Click here for full details on the 2021 TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival feature races.