Jason Collett riding a winning wave into Saturday’s Tancred Stakes meeting at Rosehill
Jason Collett will aim to keep up the fight in the Sydney jockeys title with a near full book of rides at Rosehill on Saturday.
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Jason Collett is already having one of his best seasons ever in Sydney and the star jockey is hungry to keep momentum flowing with another strong hand at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.
Collett has a near capacity book of nine rides on the autumn carnival feature occasion including Group 1 steers on Ashrun in the Tancred Stakes and Piplup in the Vinery Stud Stakes.
A winning double at Hawkesbury on Thursday helped Collett move to 86 winners for the season, two more than his booted home in the 12 months prior.
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The Kiwi-born hoop also sits equal second on the Sydney premiership with 56 metropolitan victories for the season to sit three behind reigning champion James McDonald.
“It’s going really good,” Collett said.
“We hit the front in the premiership for a little bit then James (McDonald) has got back in front.
“Numbers wise, I am really happy and stakes money it is closing on the best season I’ve had.
“Obviously winners wise it’s closing in on that too and it’s just a progression, just trying to be better each season and take it to new levels by getting on better horses in better races which is what I want to do.”
Collett’s best chance to break through on the weekend comes via the Ciaron Maher-trained Ashrun ($8) in the Group 1 $1.5m Tancred Stakes (2400m).
Ashrun spent more than 1000 days on the sidelines with tendon issues before returning in the spring and finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup.
Maher has Ashrun on a Sydney Cup path but will attempt to knock off another major first.
His son of Authorized comes to Sydney in top form after stylishly winning the Pakenham Cup (2500m) last start.
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“He has obviously come back good,” Collett said.
“It was a nice win the other day at Pakenham and this is a nice step up again into a Group 1.
“The fourth in a Melbourne Cup is obviously really good form. He had that bad injury but he looks like he is going pretty good and should run well.”
The Brad Widdup-trained Piplup will give Collett an outside chance in the Group 1 $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
The daughter of Inference is a $201 outsider for the three-year-old fillies major as she prepares to take on boom Kiwi talent Orchestral ($1.60) and Godolphin galloper Zardozi ($4.60).
“The two favourites will be hard beat,” Collett said.
“She has the fitness under her belt and this is obviously a nice stepping stone towards the Oaks.
“We will learn more about her on Saturday, how she lines up against the better class of fillies.
“Obviously the two favourites look classy.”
Collett will reconnect with Hosier as the Mark Minervini-trained galloper attempts to secure a berth in the Doncaster Mile in this week’s Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m).
The pair combined to win a Group 3 Premier’s Cup during the spring and Hosier will be first up on the weekend.
“Hosier was good last preparation over 2000m and further last preparation in a Newcastle Cup and a Metrop as well,” Collett said.
“A bit of give in the ground would help him but I don’t know if he is going to get that.
“He is first up and does have a good gate so he should get a soft run.
“He will be running on, whether he is ready for Saturday we will find out.”
Collett will pilot the classy Roots ($19) for the first time in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) while he also joins forces with the Annabel Neasham-trained Hell Hath No Fury in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m).
He helped Hell Hath No Fury win the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes two starts ago before she midfield in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic.
“There is a couple of classy horses in the race but Hell Hath No Fury is going really well,” Collett said.
“She got back in a slowly run race the other day in the Coolmore.
“She has drawn a bit awkward here. She has got some speed but will likely be giving them a bit of a start.”
Collett’s other stakes rides include United Nations (Neville Sellwood) and Anderson Bridge (Tulloch Stakes) while he also rides Go Troppo (race 1) and Razeta (race 10).
Originally published as Jason Collett riding a winning wave into Saturday’s Tancred Stakes meeting at Rosehill
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