Waikato hoop Michael McNab has picked up the coveted ride on Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock) in the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday.
Te Akau’s retained rider Opie Bosson was set to ride this weekend, however, those plans were curtailed when he was handed a six-day suspension at Ellerslie on Sunday after using the whip in two consecutive strides on his mount The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Brookby Stables 1500.
While disappointed to lose the services of Bosson, trainer Jamie Richards is excited to have booked McNab, who has already tasted elite-level success in the Te Akau silks.
“She is good and did some nice work on Saturday. Everything has gone according to plan apart from Opie getting suspended yesterday,” Richards told Weigh In.
“These things happen from time-to-time and Michael McNab will ride her in the Telegraph.
“Michael has ridden Group One winners for us before and I am certainly looking forward to him having a sit on Entriviere on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, Richards is looking forward to trialling a couple of his key runners at Matamata on Wednesday, including Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) favourite On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau) and A$5million All-Star Mile (1600m) aspirant Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel).
“On The Bubbles is going well, he trials here (Matamata) on Wednesday with a few other horses that are heading to Karaka Million night. I am happy with him,” Richards said.
“Probabeel will trial on Wednesday and then she will fly to Melbourne on the 26th (of January), she will have a Flemington jump out on the fourth (of February) and then she will run on the 12th in the Geoffrey Bellmaine (Gr.3, 1200m), the race she kicked off (and won) in last year. She will then got to the Futurity (Gr.1, 1400m, which she also won), the All-Star Mile, and then we will make some plans from there.”
