Jason Collett to reunite with Breeders Classic hopeful
NEW Zealand jockey Jason Collett missed the ride on Egyptian Symbol in the Wyong Magic Millions and at the Gold Coast due to a broken foot, but the pair will reunite on Saturday.
The Bjorn Baker-trained mare lines up in Saturday’s Breeders Classic at Randwick and Collett is looking forward to the chance of riding the talented four-year-old.
“She was the horse I was looking forward to getting to the Gold Coast with but then I fell off at Canterbury and had to watch her,” Collett said.
“The win at the end of the carnival was very strong and I think 1200 metres is probably her best trip. It was one of those things that happens and it was disappointing to miss out on her last couple of runs. It is good to get back on her on Saturday and another good chance for me from Bjorn.
“When you are coming back from time off, you want to get back winning and she is a good chance to do that in a nice race.”
Collett is in strong form since returning to the saddle and he’s thankful for fellow Kiwi Bjorn Baker, who has been giving him some good rides.
“Bjorn has been giving me some good opportunities and to be riding the right horses for the right trainers at this time of year is very important,” Collett said.
“She is the sort of mare that will be very competitive early in the carnival.”
Baker’s stable star Music Magnate won easily in the Expressway Stakes on Saturday and a possible meeting with Winx in the Apollo Stakes is on the cards, but Baker hasn’t made his mind up yet.
“You can take on the best here right now but some times you are better taking a step back and finding a race, which gives you a better chance going forward,” Baker said.
“We can look long term at races like the TJ Smith and perhaps the All Aged Stakes and have to keep in mind that those races are a couple of months away.
“He might have to have a little break to be there at his best. So Melbourne could be a better option for him but he is still going to meet some very good horses there.”
Geelong takes the blame for poor track conditions
Punters were disgraced at the state of the Geelong track on Sunday, where jockeys were bringing their horses to the outside rail.
Geelong Racing Club chief executive officer Daniel Salter said there was an obvious track bias and measures were taken to ensure a fair track was presented.
He concluded that the aeration and having the rail out had not been successful.
“However, I do acknowledge that with the rail out today at nine metres this has not worked as well as we would have hoped,” Salter said.
“We will now look at making significant improvements to the track surface during our annual renovations over the next six weeks prior to our return to racing on March 18.
“We understand the concerns raised by participants and the racing public regarding today’s meeting at Geelong, and will discuss the matter with stewards and Racing Victoria in the coming days.
“The club, as stipulated in the pre-race comments by our track manager Mark Jennings, did foresee a possible issue with the section nearest the outside rail and in light of this, we took action to prevent any bias in that area prior to today’s meeting
“I have every confidence that we will not see an incident like this when we return to racing on March 18.”
It’s safe to say there were a few disgruntled punters.
I don’t know who the Geelong Racing CEO is, but if he believes that track wasn’t as bad as what people made out, that club needs a new CEO
— adam page (@AdamPage1991) January 29, 2017
Just a slight bit of track bias at Geelong today
— Pete Newcombe (@NewcombePete) January 29, 2017
Dubai on the cards for Lindsay Park duo
Lindsay Park are hoping to run both Faatinah and Almoonqith at the Dubai World Cup meeting in March, but it all depends on their form this campaign.
“They would have to be in unbelievable group one form to warrant going,” co-trainer David Hayes said.
“We’ve got to see how they come back.”
The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint is being considered for Faatinah and 2016 Melbourne Cup entrant Almoonqith could head towards the Group 1 Sheema Classic or the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup.
Faatinah showed promise by winning a jump-out at Flemington on Friday and it will resume in the W.J. Adams at Caulfield on Saturday.
Hayes said his goal at home with Faatinah was ultimately the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on February 25.
“He’s a group two (Bobbie Lewis Stakes) winner and he’d want to be in Group One-winning form to warrant going,” Hayes said.
“He’ll get his chance in the Oakleigh Plate and if he could win that then he might be a chance of going.”
Almoonwith has been tipped to resume in the Peter Young Stakes on February 25 before lining up the Australian Cup two weeks after.
“We’ll run him in the Australian Cup and then we’ll make a decision on whether to head to Dubai,” Hayes said.
“He’d also have to be in top form to make the trip.”
Almoonqith is currently $51 at Sportsbet.com.au to win the 2017 Australian Cup, with current favouritism belonging to Winx at $3.
Wood resisting Golden Slipper temptation
Kelso Wood is resisting temptation to run promising two-year-old Snitzkraft in the Group 1 Golden Slipper and will instead target the Brisbane winter carnival.
The son of Snitzel produced a big win at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, but Wood said the Slipper would come too early.
“I recommend that he goes straight to the paddock,” Wood said. “He’s potentially a very, very good horse. I wouldn’t like to elaborate and say he will be the best, but potentially, he’s very exciting.
“He has started hanging a bit, but it’s only immaturity.
“He will go for a spell, come back and be a different horse.”
Winning jockey Luke Dittman was impressed with the win, but believes it still has plenty of learning to do.
“He travelled beautiful and went to sleep,” Dittman said on Saturday. I couldn’t have asked for a better run in transit.
“He was in and out, looking at the winning post, looking at the grandstand but I never fully let him go.
“He’s a big gangly two-year-old, has all the ability in the world but just hasn’t quite clicked mentally.”
Despite Wood opting to run in Brisbane, Snitzkraft is still a $21 chance at CrownBet for the Golden Slipper, but the better bet appears to be Magic Millions winner Houtzen at $6.