scooby3051 10,935 Report post Posted November 25, 2021 Boss Bombshell: Champion retires Andrew Eddy@fastisheddy 25 November, 2021 Glen Boss celebrates aboard Sir Dragonet In a major shock, champion jockey Glen Boss is set to retire after Saturday’s Zipping Classic meeting at Caulfield. The 52-year-old rider of 90 Group 1 winners across a glittering career has decided his ride on import Spanish Mission will bring down the curtain on his career. The country Queenslander came to Sydney in 1995 and enjoyed instant feature-race success before his grand association with three-time (2003-05) Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva. The surprise announcement is certain to inject new interest into Saturday’s final feature meeting in Melbourne for the spring with Boss’ final ride aboard the Zipping Classic’s hot favourite. “This decision is something I have been mulling over for the past six months and particularly over the last two or three,” Boss told Ladbrokes’ Adam Hamilton. “I’m one of those individuals who is always 100 per cent, chips in all the way, and I made a promise to myself more than a decade ago, because you know the end is coming, that if I got to the point in my riding career when I wasn’t fully committed and all the way in, then it was time to finish. “What I mean by that is riding at the level that I have always wanted to be at and where I need to be at to compete with the guys around me. I just felt I was slipping a bit mentally. Physically I am at the absolute top of my game, but mentally I was slipping a bit and it really is a mental game. “I felt it was the right time because I have so much energy and I want to put all that energy into something else and that’s what I am doing.” Spanish Mission is a $1.50 favourite in the Zipping Classic, giving Boss a massive chance to finish his career a winner. Boss, who has forged a career as one of racing's showmen, said he will just "feel the moment" and then react to it in his final ride. “Whatever comes out of me is just honesty, I don’t sit there and script stuff, I’m not intelligent enough for that. But I am looking forward to Saturday because I don’t know what is going to happen. "Hopefully the horse gives me a great ride and we get a victory, that would be obviously the crowning moment, but if he doesn’t, as long as we both come home in one piece that would be excellent as well. “I’m more excited about what comes after Saturday. Since I made the decision, I am sleeping well and I am waking up just knowing I have made the right call. I was very scared about making the decision, I was frightened, because I have been doing this since I was 15, and I’m now 52, so there is fear there of what lies beyond G Boss the jockey.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
In a major shock, champion jockey Glen Boss is set to retire after Saturday’s Zipping Classic meeting at Caulfield. The 52-year-old rider of 90 Group 1 winners across a glittering career has decided his ride on import Spanish Mission will bring down the curtain on his career. The country Queenslander came to Sydney in 1995 and enjoyed instant feature-race success before his grand association with three-time (2003-05) Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva. The surprise announcement is certain to inject new interest into Saturday’s final feature meeting in Melbourne for the spring with Boss’ final ride aboard the Zipping Classic’s hot favourite. “This decision is something I have been mulling over for the past six months and particularly over the last two or three,” Boss told Ladbrokes’ Adam Hamilton. “I’m one of those individuals who is always 100 per cent, chips in all the way, and I made a promise to myself more than a decade ago, because you know the end is coming, that if I got to the point in my riding career when I wasn’t fully committed and all the way in, then it was time to finish. “What I mean by that is riding at the level that I have always wanted to be at and where I need to be at to compete with the guys around me. I just felt I was slipping a bit mentally. Physically I am at the absolute top of my game, but mentally I was slipping a bit and it really is a mental game. “I felt it was the right time because I have so much energy and I want to put all that energy into something else and that’s what I am doing.” Spanish Mission is a $1.50 favourite in the Zipping Classic, giving Boss a massive chance to finish his career a winner. Boss, who has forged a career as one of racing's showmen, said he will just "feel the moment" and then react to it in his final ride. “Whatever comes out of me is just honesty, I don’t sit there and script stuff, I’m not intelligent enough for that. But I am looking forward to Saturday because I don’t know what is going to happen. "Hopefully the horse gives me a great ride and we get a victory, that would be obviously the crowning moment, but if he doesn’t, as long as we both come home in one piece that would be excellent as well. “I’m more excited about what comes after Saturday. Since I made the decision, I am sleeping well and I am waking up just knowing I have made the right call. I was very scared about making the decision, I was frightened, because I have been doing this since I was 15, and I’m now 52, so there is fear there of what lies beyond G Boss the jockey.”
scooby3051 10,935 Report post Posted November 27, 2021 Boss turns flop into fizz Andrew Eddy@fastisheddy 27 November, 2021 Glen Boss acknowledges the crowd aboard Spanish Mission (Image: Racing Photos) "I told you I’d leave nothing behind." And, apart from his jodhpurs, Glen Boss was true to his word. The 52-year-old’s final race ride was not a winner despite punters backing Spanish Mission into $1.35 favourite for the Zipping Classic at Caulfield on Saturday. For a moment, the staged celebration of one of Australia’s greatest jockeys was falling flat on its face. The large crowd that had finally broken free of the COVID-19 shackles came in their droves to see Boss triumphantly bow-out of race riding were hushed. Shock and disappointment could be read on each face. The planned party and celebration was quickly turning into a wake. Enter G. Boss. If racegoers were doing it hard in the face of the shock loss, it was expected Boss would be calmed too by the outcome and somewhat subdued as he made his way back into the third placegetter’s stall. At first, he seemed unsure how to react. But as the crowd lined the mounting fence to say farewell, Boss found that momentarily-lost mojo and again started playing up to the crowd. His goggles went first to a lucky racegoer and then his gloves went flying over the fence as Spanish Mission walked the yard with his rider acknowledging the applause. Boss was onto a good thing here so, prior to a Racing.com post-race interview, he took off his silks and tossed them into the crowd. A minute or so later with the interview done, he then took off his undershirt and over it went as well. Then he leaned over the fence and gave his helmet to a young boy. His wife Sloane and children Tayte and Carter embraced him in the mounting yard before Boss decided his boots were no longer needed either. Over they went. Then the socks. "I told you I’d leave nothing behind," he told the crowd before descending into the jockey’s room under the grandstand for the final time as a jockey. WATCH: Sound wins 2021 Zipping Classic The eighth race was run and won and then the jockeys came out again to form a guard of honour for the now-clothed Boss. Damien Oliver and Brett Prebble lifted him on their shoulders to the delight of the crowd. Boss said a few nice words then grabbed a bottle of champagne before running up and down the mounting yard fence, spraying the punters. If you’d just turned up at the track, you would have sworn he had won. The result was certainly not what Boss had wanted but his performance was. Boss positioned the import one-out and one-back and he enjoyed the run of the race. But the pace up front was muddling and when Dr Drill and Wentwood sprinted on the home turn, suddenly Spanish Mission was in trouble. He dug deep as a horse with his European staying form should, but the horse had literally bolted and he could not make back the ground he had lost when the pace changed so dramatically. "What a fitting way to go out," he said. "I gave that horse every possible hop. I got in the zone, I felt good. "Like I said, the result was not going to define my career. Just being here today, being in front of this Melbourne crowd. Having my family here. I want to thank everybody. It’s been a wonderful journey. "It’s been a tough time at times the journey but when you do the scales, the good times far outweigh the bad times. They’re insignificant. "I feel wonderful honestly. I go out feeling good. I’ve given a good horse, a good ride and I couldn’t ask for anymore." He has received a series of tributes over the past two days and here and a few more: ROBERT CRAM, chief steward "He was one of the more emotive members of the jockey’s room. I certainly have fond memories of his three Melbourne Cup wins and at his best, he was equal to the best." DAMIEN OLIVER, champion jockey "We had a good chat yesterday. I thought it would be good to have a good conversation the day before when we’re a bit more relaxed and occupied. He’s had a wonderful career and certainly one of the best jockeys I’ve come up against in my career. No better big-time performer. We’ll miss him in the jockeys ranks. He’s still going out at the top of his game but I’ll still be doing my best to knock him off today.” COREY MALLYON, starter "Ever since I started, Glen has been a great rider and a total gentleman. He is always willing to help the boys behind the gates and he's the first one to come onto the racecourse to shake your hand and say, 'I hope you have a good carnival'. He's a great bloke." VIN COX, Godolphin Australia managing director: "Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a lot of great success with Bossy. Not the least with Colette in the ATC Oaks in that first COVID year and then Bivouac, who was electric in a Newmarket and Darley Sprint. I guess the bell tolls eventually on everyone’s career and he’s had a storied a long career and we wish him well in his retirement." MATT HYLAND, chief executive Victorian Jockey’s Association: "He came into the game as about 16 and he’s now 52 so get your head around that. He’s still performing at an elite level and going out at an elite level. He made that decision to go out on top and that’s a marvellous thing for any sports person. If you put it into terms into any other sport, it’s a magnificent achievement. What he has done for the sport is fantastic." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
"I told you I’d leave nothing behind." And, apart from his jodhpurs, Glen Boss was true to his word. The 52-year-old’s final race ride was not a winner despite punters backing Spanish Mission into $1.35 favourite for the Zipping Classic at Caulfield on Saturday. For a moment, the staged celebration of one of Australia’s greatest jockeys was falling flat on its face. The large crowd that had finally broken free of the COVID-19 shackles came in their droves to see Boss triumphantly bow-out of race riding were hushed. Shock and disappointment could be read on each face. The planned party and celebration was quickly turning into a wake. Enter G. Boss. If racegoers were doing it hard in the face of the shock loss, it was expected Boss would be calmed too by the outcome and somewhat subdued as he made his way back into the third placegetter’s stall. At first, he seemed unsure how to react. But as the crowd lined the mounting fence to say farewell, Boss found that momentarily-lost mojo and again started playing up to the crowd. His goggles went first to a lucky racegoer and then his gloves went flying over the fence as Spanish Mission walked the yard with his rider acknowledging the applause. Boss was onto a good thing here so, prior to a Racing.com post-race interview, he took off his silks and tossed them into the crowd. A minute or so later with the interview done, he then took off his undershirt and over it went as well. Then he leaned over the fence and gave his helmet to a young boy. His wife Sloane and children Tayte and Carter embraced him in the mounting yard before Boss decided his boots were no longer needed either. Over they went. Then the socks. "I told you I’d leave nothing behind," he told the crowd before descending into the jockey’s room under the grandstand for the final time as a jockey. WATCH: Sound wins 2021 Zipping Classic The eighth race was run and won and then the jockeys came out again to form a guard of honour for the now-clothed Boss. Damien Oliver and Brett Prebble lifted him on their shoulders to the delight of the crowd. Boss said a few nice words then grabbed a bottle of champagne before running up and down the mounting yard fence, spraying the punters. If you’d just turned up at the track, you would have sworn he had won. The result was certainly not what Boss had wanted but his performance was. Boss positioned the import one-out and one-back and he enjoyed the run of the race. But the pace up front was muddling and when Dr Drill and Wentwood sprinted on the home turn, suddenly Spanish Mission was in trouble. He dug deep as a horse with his European staying form should, but the horse had literally bolted and he could not make back the ground he had lost when the pace changed so dramatically. "What a fitting way to go out," he said. "I gave that horse every possible hop. I got in the zone, I felt good. "Like I said, the result was not going to define my career. Just being here today, being in front of this Melbourne crowd. Having my family here. I want to thank everybody. It’s been a wonderful journey. "It’s been a tough time at times the journey but when you do the scales, the good times far outweigh the bad times. They’re insignificant. "I feel wonderful honestly. I go out feeling good. I’ve given a good horse, a good ride and I couldn’t ask for anymore." He has received a series of tributes over the past two days and here and a few more: ROBERT CRAM, chief steward "He was one of the more emotive members of the jockey’s room. I certainly have fond memories of his three Melbourne Cup wins and at his best, he was equal to the best." DAMIEN OLIVER, champion jockey "We had a good chat yesterday. I thought it would be good to have a good conversation the day before when we’re a bit more relaxed and occupied. He’s had a wonderful career and certainly one of the best jockeys I’ve come up against in my career. No better big-time performer. We’ll miss him in the jockeys ranks. He’s still going out at the top of his game but I’ll still be doing my best to knock him off today.” COREY MALLYON, starter "Ever since I started, Glen has been a great rider and a total gentleman. He is always willing to help the boys behind the gates and he's the first one to come onto the racecourse to shake your hand and say, 'I hope you have a good carnival'. He's a great bloke." VIN COX, Godolphin Australia managing director: "Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a lot of great success with Bossy. Not the least with Colette in the ATC Oaks in that first COVID year and then Bivouac, who was electric in a Newmarket and Darley Sprint. I guess the bell tolls eventually on everyone’s career and he’s had a storied a long career and we wish him well in his retirement." MATT HYLAND, chief executive Victorian Jockey’s Association: "He came into the game as about 16 and he’s now 52 so get your head around that. He’s still performing at an elite level and going out at an elite level. He made that decision to go out on top and that’s a marvellous thing for any sports person. If you put it into terms into any other sport, it’s a magnificent achievement. What he has done for the sport is fantastic."
