Opie Bosson: Winning a Karaka Million is pretty special
Opie Bosson • January 24th, 2025 12:44 PM
The Karaka Millions is our best race meeting of the year but the juvenile race is also one of our most misunderstood.
Because I think many punters believe the two-year-old is a race won by the leader, but in reality, it usually isn’t.
I was lucky enough to win the two-year-old race five times and none of them lead throughout, with Melody Belle the only one who was even in the early contention.
That doesn’t mean you can’t win leading all the way and in so many sprint races people think that is the best place to be.
For a good older sprinter, it can be, for the babies often being just back off the speed is better.
If you go back over the Karaka Millions it is often the strongest two-year-old who wins.
They go hard and some of the leaders can’t cop that level of pressure, and the stronger ones just overpower them.
I think that could happen again tomorrow and I think that horse could be To Bravery Born.
I have been riding some trackwork for Te Akau since I retired and he is a good strong horse, genuine and a real professional.
From barrier two you could try and lead on him but there will be so much speed from out wide I think he will sit two to three pairs back and he really strong in the straight.
Too Sweet is a top filly but barrier 14 makes it hard, I won from out there on Probabeel but she was a freak.
La Dorada is probably the other each way bet. She is tough.
The three-year-old race is going to be really hard for Damask Rose even though I think she is the best horse in it.
She was quite tired after her last start sixth but has really turned the corner the last week, but she has got a tough draw.
I think the best she can hope for is being three wide with cover and she can win but it is a very open race.
Tuxedo has a good draw, Yaldi is a smart horse, but I am not sure he is a true 1600m horse and I think the upsetter could be Prosegur. The 1600m should suit and she could be a good each way bet.
In the other races, Move To Strike is a good horse back in Race 1 but I think Poetic Champion will be hard to beat because he should control the speed.
The Aotearoa Classic is going to be really interesting because Orchestral is the best horse but she was only okay last start. Her trainers know what they are doing so she can win but it is an open race.
If you want to have an each way bet, I think Skew Wiff (R3, No.2) is one of the better ones on the night.
Barrier 2 is perfect for her, so is 1400m and she has really come on since the Telegraph so I thought she was a good bet.
As for the Railway later, it is going to be great to watch. I don’t really know who is going to win.
Maybe Alabama Lass will be too fast for them, but it is hard for those fillies up against hardened older sprinters.
As for the night, it is very special but once you get into the jockey’s room it becomes a bit more business as usual.
You know it is a different night because often there are Australian riders there but that is actually a good thing because it only adds to the standard and the interest the meeting.
While there is a big party going on outside the jockeys tend to just concentrate on their own thing because you have a job to do but the atmosphere always sounds great.
The Boys Get Paid actually me invited me to their event and while that would be great fun I think I will just watch the races on television, I might get to see more of them.
Will I miss it? Yes, it is one night I’d like to be back riding, but you can’t change your mind for just one meeting.
But I hope everybody has a great time and good luck to all the owners, trainers and jockeys.
Winning a Karaka Million is pretty special.
Picture at the Top of the Page: To Bravery Born will look to cross first at Ellerslie like he did earlier this year. Photo: Race Images NZ
