Opie Bosson Makes Hall Of Fame While Still Riding.....is CWJ there?

[Chief Stipe]

 

Star-studded 10 inducted into New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

NZ Racing Desk

9 May 2023

Six people and four horses were inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame on Sunday night in a gala dinner in Hamilton.

They included champion racehorses Verry Elleegant, Melody Belle and Beau Vite, leading trainers Paul O’Sullivan, Michael Moroney and George Price and outstanding jockeys Opie Bosson and Keith Voitre.

Also inducted was breeder, auctioneer and administrator Ken Austin along with long-serving Wrightson Managing Director Michael Floyd.

Since the inaugural New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame dinner in 2006, 41 horses from racehorses to stallions and broodmares, and 53 people – including trainers, jockeys, owners, breeders and administrators – have been inducted to the elite list that honours New Zealand’s highest achievers in the thoroughbred sphere.

Champion jockey Opie Bosson said it had been a long-standing ambition to one day be inducted alongside those he admired so much.

“It means the world to me,” Bosson said. “It’s good just to be recognised for my achievements. It is really, really cool.

“Lance O’Sullivan was my idol as a kid and he was inducted in the inaugural Hall Of Fame and I thought it was something I really wanted to achieve.

“It has been hard over the years, particularly with the wasting, but it is rewarding when you get a winner, no matter what type of winner it is.”

With 91 Group One wins to his name Bosson is keen to hit the century within the next few years, while he is also closing in on 2000 career victories, currently sitting on 1959.

“I’m 42 now so hopefully I can get it by the time I am 45 and then we’ll see what happens after that,” he said.

Also on-hand for the awards was Trans-Tasman trainer Michael Moroney, who said it was an honour and he was pleased his late father Denny, who passed away last year aged 93, was aware of the then impending induction.

“It means a lot,” Moroney said.

“We lost Dad 10 months ago and he was a big part of it. Luckily, I was told on the quiet that it was happening and I could let Dad know.

“He knew it was happening and I know he would be very proud of me and the whole family, because it has been a family thing.”

Moroney, who has 55 Group One wins to his name said the win of Brew in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) was a highlight of his career, while the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) is the most coveted race that he has yet to win.

“The Melbourne Cup was a life-changing event,” Moroney said. “It wasn’t until I won it that I realised what it was like. I had been living in Victoria where I wasn’t that well known, even though I had trained a Victoria Derby (Gr.1, 2500m) winner.

“I was well known in New Zealand but certainly not over there (Australia) and when I won the Melbourne Cup it all changed and no matter where I went in the world it changed. It was quite mind-boggling as to what it actually means.”

It was fitting that Moroney and recently retired trainer Paul O’Sullivan were inducted on the same night, with the pair having trained in partnership early in their careers along with Paul’s Hall of Fame father Dave.

“It’s great. We both got our trainers’ licence the same day,” Moroney said.

“I’d like to find a copy of it, but Paul and I knew it all when we were young and we actually wrote a book between us as to how to train a racehorse.

“I’d love to read it now and see what we wrote but I can’t find a copy of it.

“Paul was the best man at my wedding and we’ve been close mates all the way through despite heading in different paths.” 

[Doomed]

I did think that strange myself. Perhaps they are waiting until CWJ retires before doing something very special for him.

[Freda]

Or not?

I thought it might have happened when he got the record.

[Chief Stipe]

31 minutes ago, Doomed said:

I did think that strange myself. Perhaps they are waiting until CWJ retires before doing something very special for him.

Has Opie retired?

[Doomed]

29 minutes ago, Freda said:

Or not?

I thought it might have happened when he got the record.

There is no way he cannot be inducted at some stage. I am sure he would be the "people's" choice.

[Assange]

3 hours ago, Doomed said:

There is no way he cannot be inducted at some stage. I am sure he would be the "people's" choice.

Maybe there should be a Peoples Choice category. 

[Special Agent]

It does appear to be a popularity contest and strange to me to induct jockeys who are still riding.  I feel there will always be an excuse for not including Chris Johnson on a list of greatness even as New Zealand's winningest jockey.

I also find the order in which inductees materialise strange.  The two recently retired mares have just gone in at the same time as Beau Vite, the three trainers are from different eras and how do you compare the current jockey inductee with a champion of the past, one whom you'd wonder was not already there.

[Doomed]

20 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

It does appear to be a popularity contest and strange to me to induct jockeys who are still riding.  I feel there will always be an excuse for not including Chris Johnson on a list of greatness even as New Zealand's winningest jockey.

I also find the order in which inductees materialise strange.  The two recently retired mares have just gone in at the same time as Beau Vite, the three trainers are from different eras and how do you compare the current jockey inductee with a champion of the past, one whom you'd wonder was not already there.

I agree. I always just assumed CWJ would be inducted once he retired, so I was quite surprised to see a currently active jockey inducted out of the blue.

I'm probably biased as I can recall numerous brilliant CWJ rides, but I can't really remember any Bossom rides that I would call outstanding, but that is just me, I don't watch as many races live as I used to.

[billy connolly]

1 hour ago, Special Agent said:

I feel there will always be an excuse for not including Chris Johnson on a list of greatness even as New Zealand's winningest jockey.

There's no excuse, and there's something radically wrong with the HOF selection process when the two most successful jockeys of all time are overlooked.

A New Zealand record 2600 victories is a bigger and better achievement than a Hall of Fame berth anyway in my book.

No argument with Bosson, a very good modern-day rider.

 

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

I can't really remember any Bossom rides that I would call outstanding, but that is just me, I don't watch as many races live as I used to.

I can.  Bosson is a very very good jockey.  Geez given the way NZ racing is he'd win Speedway races or dodgems.

[Doomed]

49 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

I can.  Bosson is a very very good jockey.  Geez given the way NZ racing is he'd win Speedway races or dodgems.

I did see his dodgems race where he knocked over 3 or 4 other jockeys. Was it Awapuni?

[Special Agent]

All apprentices want to be like Opie Bosson.  I haven't heard one say they'd like to style their riding on Chris for a while.

Surely credit where it is due.  Chris spent time in the racing wilderness and still holds the record, and whilst based in the south island too.  Cameron George doesn't hold a spot on the Hall of Fame panel does he?

[Special Agent]

Just now, Doomed said:

I did see his dodgems race where he knocked over 3 or 4 other jockeys. Was it Awapuni?

Hastings.

[Special Agent]

Wouldn't have won the fair play award that day.

[Gammalite]

14 hours ago, Doomed said:

I'm probably biased as I can recall numerous brilliant CWJ rides, but I can't really remember any Bossom rides that I would call outstanding,

Pretty outstanding ride in the Empire Rose that day . even had himself smiling there with how good he rode her. 😁

GETTY IMAGES

Opie Bosson riding Melody Belle wins the Empire Rose Stakes during 2019 Derby Day at Flemington.

[Huey]

On 9/05/2023 at 2:06 PM, Doomed said:

There is no way he cannot be inducted at some stage. I am sure he would be the "people's" choice.

Exactly , outstanding rider in this country for years.

[Bloke]

Compare this to The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame where they have inducted country singers Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. Poor Dolly was so embarrassed that she has been asking Rockers from way back if they can join her in making a rock and roll album.

[curious]

I think Chris's time will come, probably when he officially hangs up his boots. His lifetime win record may still be higher then when the award is made. Possibly unassailable, especially considering the downward spiral and reducing opportunities for jockeys that NZ racing is providing.

[Special Agent]

4 hours ago, curious said:

especially considering the downward spiral and reducing opportunities for jockeys that NZ racing is providing.

With Allpress, Collett and D Johnson getting the bulk of the rides over the last four seasons, and all currently out of commission, opportunities for the other jockeys may not be as reducing as at first glance.

[SLB2.0]

Does Johnson have any legal blights on his record at all?

I know they leave people out of the HoF in the US for any off-field (off-track) transgressions.

[Newmarket]

Opie only looks good because of the average opposition and the best horses he rides. 
 

Look at Dragons Leap today, it went huge yet he had it wide the trip. Aussie rider on it wins. O’Sullivan a bit unlucky today, Reece Jones rode the same earlier on. 
Have to get the top aussie jockeys on these nz runners nowadays, otherwise ya wasting time and money

[Gammalite]

6 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Have to get the top aussie jockeys on these nz runners nowadays, otherwise ya wasting time and money

seems to win plenty over here in Aus ok. so if it's that tough for Nz jockeys to win in Aus as you say, he must be an absolute standout and Fully worthy of Hall Of Fame honour.

great ride in the William Reid Stakes a couple of months ago in the Moonee Valley Group 1 . picked up a cool 600k in prizemoney there so good to see the connections not wasting time and money . 

1st

• 
  11. Imperatriz (7)   T: M.W.Walker     J: O.P.Bosson  56.5kg    $600,000

 

 

As at the end of the 2021 season, Bosson has won: over 1,800 New Zealand races. 78 Group 1 races (10 in Australia).

 

[Newmarket]

10 hours ago, Gammalite said:

seems to win plenty over here in Aus ok. so if it's that tough for Nz jockeys to win in Aus as you say, he must be an absolute standout and Fully worthy of Hall Of Fame honour.

great ride in the William Reid Stakes a couple of months ago in the Moonee Valley Group 1 . picked up a cool 600k in prizemoney there so good to see the connections not wasting time and money . 

1st

• 
  11. Imperatriz (7)   T: M.W.Walker     J: O.P.Bosson  56.5kg    $600,000

 

 

As at the end of the 2021 season, Bosson has won: over 1,800 New Zealand races. 78 Group 1 races (10 in Australia).

 

Maybe list the 10 group races he has won in Aus…..they are all top class nags that any jockey would win on. Overrated for mine, some other jockeys have better stats that are not connected to huge stable, where he picks his rides. 

[Chief Stipe]

17 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Opie only looks good because of the average opposition and the best horses he rides. 

Doesn't say much for the others.  He does OK in OZ.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Newmarket said:

Maybe list the 10 group races he has won in Aus…..they are all top class nags that any jockey would win on.

Yet some of those "top class nags" have been ridden abysmally by top OZ jocks.  McEvoy the worst.  He rode some shockers on Meolody Belle.

J Mac rode a shocker on Imperatriz one week and next start Opie rode her a treat.