Despite his imposing Melbourne Cup record, jockey Glen Boss admits this year he is rolling the dice on making Australia’s premier handicap by agreeing to ride the imported Jet Away in the $6million event.
A three-time winner of the Cup, Boss says he is prepared to take a calculated risk that Jet Away will win the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington on Saturday, catapulting him into the Cup.
”I know if he misses out on Saturday he can’t make the race. OK, and in that case neither can I, but he is so gifted with such amazing talent that he is well and truly worth having a shot at the stumps over,” he said.
Boss drove from Melbourne to Euroa on Tuesday to ride Jet Away in his final workout before the Mackinnon Stakes at David Hayes’ state-of-the-art training operation.
Both trainer and jockey are confident the horse can make the Cup and are equally convinced the stayer has recovered from his tough run in the Caulfield Cup.
”David [Hayes] said that he had a sleepless night on Caulfield Cup night worrying and concerned that the horse would be flat and would need time off after the run. But he has told me that Jet Away has been perfect since that race,” Boss said.
”His form is faultless going back to the Turnbull Stakes when he got no luck, and then his Caulfield Cup effort was just unbelievable. He was still going strongly on the line after doing all that work and he was in fourth spot.
”And then going up there and feeling him first-hand this morning has given me a great deal of confidence. You know if he wins and wins well [on Saturday] he could be second favourite come Tuesday, so if that’s the case he is well worth waiting for.”
Jet Away went to the lead a long way from home in the Caulfield Cup and remarkably was still in front with 100 metres to go. Jockey Damien Oliver said the horse pulled ferociously in the early and middle stages.
Boss pointed out he had had very little time since last Saturday to look for Melbourne Cup options to replace the one ride that had been booked for the past 12 months.
”Don’t forget the big grey horse [Puissance De Lune] only came out of the Melbourne Cup last weekend and he was my sole ride for a very long time,” Boss said. ”But Jet Away came along and he is a very nice ride to pick up at this stage.”
Meanwhile, horses trained by Hayes dominate Australian nominations for the Hong Kong International race day.
Hayes has seven entries across the four races – the Hong Kong Sprint, the Hong Kong Mile, the Hong Kong Cup and the Hong Kong Vase.
His nominations include Jet Away.
Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has entered Tres Blue and Julienas for the Vase.
Irish St Leger winner Voleuse De Coeurs, who is set to make her Australian debut for Mike Moroney in the Melbourne Cup, is also a Vase entry.
South Australian trainer Jake Stephens is hoping to return to Hong Kong with Gris Caro after his retired warhorse Alcopop ran third in last year’s cup.
The Sprint and Mile are on the end-of-year radar for Stradbroke Handicap winner Linton and the Sydney-trained Aeronautical.
