‘They’re dying’: Melbourne Cup legend Glen Boss pushes to save Australian picnic races

Glen Boss has been there and done it at Australia’s most famous racetracks, but says we must protect our grassroots racing to attract the next generation into the sport.

Melbourne Cup winner Glen Boss has experienced racing’s penthouse, but the legendary jockey says the sport must look after the grassroots level to attract the next generation.

Boss has launched an impassioned plea to save picnic racing in Australia, saying the meetings are under threat in regional areas, as small towns continue to wither on the vine.

The 90-time Group 1 winner doesn’t have the magic solution, but said racing officials can’t let the iconic picnic meetings around the country continue to suffer.

In his work for wagering giant Ladbrokes, Boss has travelled to a number of picnic meets to see them first hand and said they are the lifeblood of many small communities.

“They’re dying for sure, they are under threat,” Boss told Racenet.

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Glen Boss is a staunch supporter of country racing. Picture: Jay Town

“They are really important meetings and they keep the town alive, everyone associated with the clubs are volunteers and the towns get a lot out of the meetings.

“It gives them something to look forward to and it brings in some money into the area, at the end of the day they are bushies wanting to have a good time.

“Racing 100 per cent needs to get people into these meetings, you have no idea the effect it has on the next generation.

“We went to these meetings and there are kids running around having a ball, it is grassroots stuff, real Aussies having fun.”

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Boss points to the Duck Creek Picnic Races in central NSW, which has a population of 2000 people.

The iconic once-a-year meeting can still pull a huge crowd, which Boss said is proof there is still an appetite for the unique meetings.

Makybe Diva ❤️ @boss_glen

Re-live one of the most memorable moments from the first season of Bossy's Bucket List 📺 pic.twitter.com/KzDHOw0eXc

— Ladbrokes.com.au (@ladbrokescomau) September 3, 2024

“When we go to these meetings, they are huge,” he said.

“We went to Nyngan and there was 6000 people there, it is right in the middle of NSW.

“These towns are dying, we need to keep them alive.

“I don’t have the perfect answer to save the races, but we need to be doing our best to keep them, the towns need them.”

After growing up outside of Brisbane, Boss kicked off his riding career on the sand track at Gympie, two hours north of Brisbane.

Originally published as ‘They’re dying’: Melbourne Cup legend Glen Boss pushes to save Australian picnic races