3 minute read

Distance to suit barn mates; Bosson reunited with Ryan Mark; The Bold One on trial for Telegraph; Harry Kasim upgraded to senior jockey

Distance to suit barn mates

Stablemates Cool Tart and Downton Abbey are both expected to be suited by the step up to 2000 metres in Friday’s Gr.2 Mongolian Khan Royal Stakes.

“Cool Tart looks well placed and is a filly with a pedigree that suggests staying will be her forte,” trainer Roger James said.

Downton Abbey will also benefit from taking on her own age group.

“She’s backing up from last week and she’s a filly that’s bounced through her run well,” James said. “She raced against some older competition that were hard and more seasoned.

“I thought she might have been a bit closer than she was in the finish, but 2000m won’t worry her at all and if we get some cut in the ground it will really play into her hands.”

Bosson reunited with Ryan Mark

Opie Bosson will be reunited with Ryan Mark in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on Friday.

Bosson is unbeaten in three rides on Ryan Mark but has not ridden the five-year-old since October 2014.

Michael Coleman, who has been Ryan Mark’s regular rider, was committed to Whosyourmaster in the Railway while Bosson became available after Passing Shot went on the ballot.

The Bold One on trial for Telegraph

The Bold One will be on trial for the Telegraph at Trentham when he tackles the open 1300m at Hastings on Friday.

The Fastnet Rock entire ran off at Awapuni at his last start but has trialled well since and will be ridden by Johnathon Parkes.

“I don’t know what happened last time but he seems spot on,” trainer Allan Sharrock said. “But he’s got to win this to get to the Telegraph.”

Harry Kasim upgraded to senior jockey

The Singapore Turf Club has granted a senior jockey’s licence to Harry Kasim from 1 January.

Kasim spent three seasons in New Zealand, where he honed his craft with trainers Dean Wiles, Don Dwyer and Michael Moroney, bringing up a total of 82 winners from over 1,000 rides.

Apprenticed to Steven Burridge in Singapore, Kasim has twice been champion apprentice in 2013 and 2014, and runner-up in 2015.

Kasim, 30, has ridden in excess of 150 winners in Singapore and on the recommendation of Stewards the Singapore Turf Club committee used their discretionary powers to elevate him to senior riding ranks despite not having completed the usual five-year apprenticeship.