Glen Boss will base himself in Victoria for the start of their carnival to ensure he can ride Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet and star sprinter Bivouac when they kick off their autumn campaigns.
The top jockey said he made the decision to head south to safeguard against any interstate travel restrictions that might be imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boss usually rides in Sydney but has been in Queensland in the lead up to last Saturday’s Magic Millions carnival at the Gold Coast.
“I’m going to make the move and go down to Melbourne and stay there for at least a month or so,” Boss told Melbourne’s RSN Racing Pulse on Wednesday.
“I don’t want to get caught anywhere and miss out on rides.”
Boss will hit the ground running and kick off his stint with rides at Caulfield on Australia Day.
He confirmed he would be taking no short cuts and planned to be in action at Melbourne’s midweek metropolitan meetings and riding in barrier trials.
“I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to it,” Boss said.
“I’m going down there to go full tilt.”
The three-time Melbourne Cup winner is keen to renew his association with the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Sir Dragonet, who delivered him a Cox Plate victory in the spring.
He believes the best is still to come from the import, who he regards as an ideal type for the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Sydney.
“He improved week by week under Ciaron Maher….there’s no reason he won’t continue to do that now,” Boss said.
He also declared Godolphin’s Bivouac would be hard to beat in any race he contested and said the four-year-old was “underfurnished” in the spring when he finished runner-up in The Everest and demolished a strong field to win the Group One Darley Classic.
“You’d say there wouldn’t be a horse on the planet that could beat him when he’s on his game,” Boss said.
Bivouac is expected to step out in a barrier trial in the next two weeks before resuming in the Lightning Stakes.
