Bosson back hoping tempo suits Kiwi raider in Five Diamonds hit-and-run

New Zealand great Opie Bosson says he has always enjoyed the challenge of riding against Australia’s elite, and after a short-lived retirement and a slow start to his season at home, the 46-year-old feels ready to roll.

Bosson will pilot Tuxedo in the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday, almost two and a half years since his last ride in Australia, when he farewelled Imperatriz, the champion which took him to six group 1 wins here, with a fourth in the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick.

Bosson retired on 99 group 1 wins eight months later, citing the physical and mental toll of racing and weight battles. He returned for the start of the 2025-26 season and has surged past the century of elite victories.

However, another break at the end of last season has made for a slow start, with five wins in 35 rides over the past three months. He hopes the Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Tuxedo, a $15 TAB chance for the Five Diamonds, can help his resurgence and add to his list of Australian highlights, which include 16 group 1 successes.

“It’s very competitive and you’ve got to be at the top of your game, but I do enjoy it,” Bosson said of coming to Australia.

“It’s good racing. There’s a lot better jockeys in Australia at the moment and it’s very competitive.

“I’ve had a lot of success with my hit and runs, but it will be good to get back and have a cruise around.

“Last season was my first season back after a year, so I just concentrated on racing at home and just getting the eye back in.

“I had the last two months off at the end of last season and my weight ballooned a little bit, but I just slowly got it down without putting too much pressure on and it’s come good actually.”

Tuxedo was part of Bosson’s successful comeback last season, winning the group 3 Aotearoa Classic (1600m) in January in their first race together. Tuxedo has raced in group 1s only since, placings three times in five attempts, including seconds at his past two with Bosson aboard over the mile and 2040m.

Bosson expected Tuxedo to face a tougher task at Rosehill against the likes of Five Diamonds Prelude winner Declichy Boulevard ($4) and group 1 winner Linebacker ($5).

“I think the Australian form’s a lot stronger, so you just never know,” he said.

“You need to bring a pretty decent horse and form to be competitive.

“I know quite a few of the horses in it. It’s quite a nice field actually.

“I won a million-dollar race on him last season and then I’ve had a couple of seconds on him his last two starts, so connections were keen for me to come over and ride him, so I thought why not?”

Bosson hoped for a decent tempo to help the Tivaci gelding, a winner five times in 17 starts, make the most of a draw in gate one.

“He’s got a great nature and he’s got a lot stronger as he’s got older,” he said.

“He’s looking good, too. I gave him a gallop between races before he came over and worked up really nice.

“The only worry with him is he’s been overracing a fraction, but hopefully there’s going to be a nice bit of tempo in the race, and he’s got barrier one, so we should be able to give him a bit of cover.

“We’ve just got to get him to settle and have him where he’s happy.

”And if there’s a little bit of cushion in the track, that would be ideal. He seems to handle it.”

Rosehill was a soft 6 early on Thursday but with fine weather forecast Friday and a chance of showers on Saturday afternoon.

As for other potential rides in Australia, Bosson said: “Not at this stage ... I’ve got to find some fast ones back home first.”

He rides Thunder In Motion in the group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas the following Saturday.

While Bosson has been focused on chances at home, he has kept a keen eye on Australian racing, especially the record-breaking feats last season of friend and countryman James McDonald, who he usually stays with when in Sydney. McDonald will be at Flemington this time looking to add to his Australasian group 1 record tally of 146 with chances on Autumn Glow, Joliestar and Aeliana on Champions day.

“It’s great to watch,” Bosson said.

“And the scary thing, he’s just getting better, too.

“We’ve always been good mates from when he started. We used to spend quite a bit of time together, travelling to races a fair bit.

“He rings every week and we don’t even talking about racing. We talk about farming and stuff like that.”