Boban returned to his best form during the 2015 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and jockey Glyn Schofield is hopeful that the enigmatic galloper can maintain that form during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.
Boban returned to winning form with an outstanding victory in the 2015 Doomben 10,000 in Brisbane. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Boban started his 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with a very flat performance in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 31 and he produced an improved effort when seventh behind Contributer in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 14, but he beat home just a single runner in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 and was sent to the spelling paddock.
Trainer Chris Waller opted to set Boban for a first-up tilt at the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 23 and he stormed home in the final stages to claim his fourth win at the highest level of racing before he carried the top weight of 58 kilograms to a second place finish behind Srikandi in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at the same venue a week later.
Schofield has formed an outstanding partnership with Boban since he steered him to victory in the James McCall Retirement Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 31 – having steered Boban to Group 1 victories in the Epsom Handicap, Emirates Stakes and Chipping Norton Stakes – and he believes that the Bernardini gelding is capable of performing at his best during his upcoming spring campaign.
“I have been the one that has been on him most of the time and he is a very good horse,” Schofield told Sky Racing HQ.
“I have been benefitted from his good ability.
“Obviously he is a quirky horse to ride and we seem to get on pretty well together.
“He had a bump in the road for a period of time when he had some health issues, but Chris and his team have got him over that and he bounced back with a really good win in the Doomben 10,000 and he carried a big weight when he ran second in the Straddie.
“Hopefully he can carry that form into the spring as well.”
Waller is yet to decide on the exact path that Boban will following during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but races like the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 19 and the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at the same venue on October 4 are sure to be on the agenda for the four-time Group 1 winner.
