NZ Briefs for 20th October 2015

Bosson at the Valley; Nahema staying at home; Criterion best in gate seven; Maygrove gets his chance at Geelong;

Bosson at the Valley

Caufield Cup-winning jokey Opie Bosson will be chasing further Melbourne riches this weekend.

He will continue his association with the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained last-start Listed Seymour Cup winner Turn Me Loose in Saturday’s Gr.2 Schweppes Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley. He has also been booked for the Brent Stanley-trained Red Alto in the Gr.2 Dilmah Vase.

Bosson is also expecting to ride on the first three days, and possibly the last, of next month’s Flemington carnival.

Nahema staying at home

A trip to Christchurch for last season’s Group performer Nahema has been ruled out.

“She’s on the quiet list at the moment and she’ll probably be set for the Levin Stakes a bit later on,” trainer Stephen Marsh said.

“She won’t be going to Riccarton for the Guineas, there are a lot of other good races up here before then.”

Nahema was a debut winner last term before she finished a close second in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes. She was unplaced when resuming in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings earlier this month.

Criterion best in gate seven

Criterion fared best of the New Zealand-breds in the barrier draw for Saturday’s Gr.1 $A3 million Cox Plate.

The Sir Owen Glenn-owned winner of the Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes will jump from gate seven for trainers David Hayes and Tom Dabernig and jockey Michael Walker.

The Chris Waller-prepared Preferment, successful in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes at his latest appearance, will be ridden by Nash Rawiller from barrier nine with his stablemate Kermadec to start from his outside in Glen Boss’ hands.

Maygrove gets his chance at Geelong

Maygrove will have the responsibility on continuing his stable’s hot streak when he runs Wednesday’s Gr.3 Geelong Classic.

The barn mate of the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan and the Listed Seymour Cup winner Turn Me Loose was a last-start fourth at Flemington.

“His last run was very good, I thought, for fourth in The Bart Cummings and that was a good field. I think he's improved a lot in the last couple of weeks," said Murray Baker, who prepares Maygrove with Andrew Forsman.