Bowman to ride Al Hasa in Karaka Million

Leading Australian jockey Hugh Bowman will ride Al Hasa in the Karaka Million in New Zealand, one of five runners Te Akau Racing will have in the race.

Stable jockey Opie Bosson has chosen unbeaten filly Avantage as his mount in the $1 million race over 1200m for two-year-olds at Ellerslie on Saturday week and has committed to riding at 54.5kg.

“We’ve got five horses qualified for the Karaka Million and Opie has chosen Avantage,” Te Akau boss David Ellis told NZ Racing Desk.

“I said to him do you think you can do 54.5kg and he said I’ll do it easily.

“We’ve also got Hugh Bowman coming over to ride Al Hasa, Michael McNab will ride Sword Of Osman and Cameron Lammas is on Pinot Grey.

“We’ve still got to finalise a rider for The Real Beel.

The regular rider of Winx, Bowman won the Longines-sponsored prestigious World’ Best Jockey award for 2017, sealing the title with his victory on Cheval Grand in the Japan Cup.

Al Hasa won the Listed Welcome Stakes in November while Avantage won at Ellerslie on Sunday to stretch her winning run to three.

Te Akau has the favourite for the Karaka Million 3Y0 Classic (1600m), NZ 2000 Guineas winner Embellish.

The colt’s autumn program is set to take in the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington before he races in Sydney.

Te Akau won last year’s Rosehill Guineas with Gingernuts who is in a rehabilitation facility in Victoria as he continues his recovery from a serious leg injury suffered on the way to the barrier before the Emirates Stakes at Flemington in November.