Schweppes All Aged Stakes (Group 1)

NEW Zealand rider Opie Bosson rounded a wildly successful Sydney Autumn carnival, snaring the final Group 1 on offer aboard the Mike Moroney-trained Tofane in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick.

The four-year-old Ocean Park filly advanced from a midfield position in the 1,400-metre weight-for-age contest to draw clear with the Pierro horse Pierata as the pair topped the rise with 300 metres to run. Having his final start before standing at Aquis Stud, Pierata looked to have the measure of Tofane but she refused to yield.

Fighting back, she showed great heart to nab Pierata in the final stride, delivering a bitter pill to Greg Hickman. “That was cruel. Just cruel,” said Pierata’s trainer. “I thought he had it but he found a horse a nose better than him on the day.”

Moroney said of the Curraghmore Stud-bred winner: “I told her owners she would get beaten in a few but I know she will win one. Her form had been great. I thought she should have run second in the Newmarket then she ran really well for third in The Galaxy, beaten a nose and a nose. This is a great result and we will put her away now and set her for The Everest in the spring.”

The win brought up a fourth Group 1 for 39-year-old Bosson to be the leading rider over Sydney’s Autumn carnival. With a taste for Sydney and an uncertain future – in the short term – in New Zealand, Bosson and his wife Emily are considering the prospect of making a permanent move.

“It is something that we have to look into but nothing has been set in stone and there are a lot of factors to consider,” he said. “I will have to talk to David Ellis (Te Akau Racing) and people like that so there are a lot of things that would need to fall into place before anything was decided.”

Rubisaki is a rising star

Trainer Patrick Payne has a rising star on his hands in the form of the three-year-old filly Rubisaki who has now won six straight after Saturday’s Group 3 Carr Stakes at Randwick.

An Inglis Classic A$85,000 yearling purchase, the Rubrik filly improved her record to eight wins from 10 starts with this her third Group win.

“I will sit down and work out a program for her but the main aims are the Silver Eagle and the (A$7.5 million) Golden Eagle,” said Payne. “Her attitude exceeds her ability. She doesn’t work that much better than other horses but she just wants to win. She is still a little immature but hopefully she will continue to strengthen up.”