Boban has returned to his best form with an upset victory over the returning It’s A Dundeel in the 2014 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm this afternoon.
Glyn Schofield was delighted to partner Boban to victory in the 2014 Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart
Boban started his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with two lackluster performances in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), but showed his trademark acceleration to storm past It’s A Dundeel in the final stages of the race.
The son of Bernardini was reuniting with jockey Glyn Schofield for the first time this preparation and trainer Chris Waller believes that the addition of the South African jockey made a massive difference to the performance of the enigmatic galloper.
“He was very good; he always looked to be travelling well, but obviously when you are chasing down horses like It’s A Dundeel you can never be too confident,” Waller said.
“It is a nice straight, we gradually wore him down and we won quiet convincingly in the end.
“Glyn rode him with confidence and that has been the turning point of this horse’s career.
“No disrespect to any other jockeys that have ridden him, but the simple method is that this horse goes very well for Glyn Schofield.
“I can’t explain it and if I tried to explain it I would go crazy worrying about it.”
Schofield became the second member of his family to win a Group 1 race in the space of half an hour and said that he was happy his son Chad would not have all the bragging rights after his impressive win on Lankan Rupee in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington this weekend.
Boban has now won three Group 1 races with Schofield onboard, following his wins in the Epsom Handicap and Emirates Stakes during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, but the veteran hoop said Waller deserved plenty of praise for the success of the four-year-old and his fourth straight win in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
“There is a third cog to the wheel with Chris Waller; don’t forget him he has got the horse to turn his first few performances around and peak today,” Schofield said.
“He has won this race four times in a row now and it was my turn today.”
“I knew that I had to be negative on him from the word go and that is what I did.
“The speed wasn’t all that quick and the fence just opened up and nobody wanted to be on it, so I thought I would take it and get off it where I can.
“James (McDonald) put me a bit tight between heels at one point and I had to let him go, which I was always going to do anyway, and once I peeled off their backs the old Boban was back and away he went.”
It’s A Dundeel was far from disgraced in second position, while Hawkspur returned to his best form with flashing run late to finish third.
Boban is set to have his next race start in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 before making his debut over 2000 metres in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 19.
