Ron Boss
1938 - 2024
Born in Glamorgan on February 9, 1938, Ronald Boss was formerly a National Hunt jockey before becoming a Classic-winning trainer. Based at Newmarket, he was renowned for his success with a small string of relatively inexpensive horses.
He worked as a stable lad for Noel Murless prior to a ten-year spell as head lad cum jockey to fellow Welshman Ivor Lewis, who held the licence for his mother, Mrs Posy Lewis at Barry, as women were not then permitted to hold trainers’ licences.
He rode 16 winners between 1960 and 1969, the first of them on novice hurdler Chouchou II at Chepstow on December 10, 1960.
He took out a trainer’s licence in 1972, initially based at Coronation House, achieving his first winner with Nettie in a Southwell selling hurdle on April 24, 1972. He trained his first Flat winner on April 2, 1973, when Sidewalk won a one-mile three-year-old maiden at Nottingham in the hands of Lester Piggott.
He then trained at Three Ways before moving to La Grange in 1977, achieving his most important success with nine-race maiden Olwyn, winner of the 1977 Irish Oaks, ridden by Kipper Lynch. He also trained Royal Ascot winners in Cramond (1976 Queen Mary Stakes) and Emboss (1977 Norfolk Stakes), and landed a French Group race victory with Hawkins in the 1977 Prix d’Arenberg.
In 1978 he saddled Captain’s Wings to win the Lincoln Handicap, partnered by Michael Wigham, having backed the horse all the way down from his opening ante-post price of 50-1 to its starting price of 13-2.
Riberetto, ridden by Philip Robinson, gave him another big race success when winning the 1981 Lingfield Derby Trial at 66-1.
He moved yards to Phoenix Lodge in 1985 and trained there for the remainder of his career, his Group race victories including Moorgate Man in the 1985 Seaton Delaval Stakes, and Lauries Warrior in the 1987 Diomed Stakes. He achieved dual Group 1 success when landing back-to-back renewals of the Middle Park Stakes with Mon Tresor in 1988 and Balla Cove in 1989. Mon Tresor also won the 1988 running of Germany’s Moet & Chandon-Rennen.
His most successful season in terms of winners was 36 in 1990. He registered his final big race success with Caleman in the 1994 Jubilee Handicap at Kempton.
His last winner was Don Pepe at Yarmouth on June 11, 1997. He retired later that season, having spent 25 years training at Newmarket.
Ron Boss died on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, aged 85. He was survived by his widow, Gloria, whom he had married on December 27, 1958. They had two sons, Stephen and Adrian, and one daughter, Louise.
His 16 winners as a jockey were:
1, Chouchou II, Chepstow, December 10, 1960
2. Sidney House, Warwick, November 10, 1962
3. Wild Nettle, Stratford, February 1, 1964
4. Cape-Ability, Windsor, February 27, 1964
5. Genius, Taunton, February 14, 1965
6. Starbec, Cheltenham, April 2, 1965
7. Straight Hero, Hereford, October 2, 1965
8. Straight Hero, Warwick, October 16, 1965
9. Minimum Wage, Warwick, November 6, 1965
10. Macedon, Chepstow, December 4, 1965
11. March Hare, Plumpton, May 19, 1966
12. Minimum Wage, Cheltenham, October 12, 1966
13. Romany Prince, Hereford, October 7, 1967
14. Funmun, Taunton, June 13, 1968
15. September Blues, Leicester, November 4, 1968
16. Babbo, Hereford, August 30, 1969
