Champion jockey Opie Bosson is appealing a suspension which has robbed him of two leading Group One rides and a chance of winning a fifth straight $1m Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).
Bosson was suspended on careless riding charges stemming from his rides on third-placed Sword Of State in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and on the unplaced Illusion Of Paris in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on January 1.
His suspension began after racing on January 4 and ends after racing on January 28.
Bosson’s agent Aidan Rodley said the jockey was appealing the penalty only.
“Opie was satisfied he received an entirely fair hearing on both charges but we feel the suspension, which rules him out of four big-money weekend meetings is too harsh,” Rodley said.
Bosson would have ridden favourites in two Group One races at Trentham on January 16 — Avantage in the JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) and Brando in the Levin Classic (1600m) — and had leading chances for Matamata trainer Jamie Richards in both the Karaka Million 2YO and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 23.
No date for the appeal has yet been set.