Alysha Collett aims to cap big season in town and keep momentum going

Alysha Collett was content honing her craft mostly on the provincial circuit in NSW in recent years.

But after what she believes has been a natural progression to a career-best return in town this season, Collett is hoping to keep the momentum going into a new campaign.

Alysha Collett after winning on Lady Extreme at Rosehill on June 28.Credit: Getty Images

Collett has 12 NSW city winners in 2024-25 and will try to add to that on the final Saturday of the season at Randwick. That figure is up from two and three metropolitan winners the previous two seasons, although her overall return each campaign across NSW has stayed in the 80s.

The city successes, including the $500,000 The Lakes at Wyong aboard Waterford in January, have her prizemoney return poised to go past $5 million for the season, up from $3.3 million.

“I think it’s just naturally progressing and improving,” Collett said.

“I did change managers also, and he manages me a bit better.

“But to be honest, I don’t know. I just keep turning up, doing my best and trying to improve.

“I think the main thing is just getting the opportunities – that’s how you get the results. So just getting a few more, which is leading to a bit more success, which is what I want.

“I’ve been aiming for that, just the next stepping stone, but it just takes time adjusting to everything.”

A group 1 winner in her native New Zealand, Collett returned to ride in NSW in 2020 when the COVID pandemic shut down racing in Singapore.

The younger sister of established Sydney rider Jason Collett then quickly carved out a place in the provincial ranks, landing 89 winners in 2020-21 and backing that up each campaign.

“During COVID I had some city opportunities, but then I took a back step from there, and I was just happy to ride provincials and learn more about the racing, build some contacts and learn more of the craft here,” she said.

“This season’s gone really well, I can’t complain. I just hope it keeps going. Just keep that momentum going.”

Jason Coyle-trained Lulumon shapes as Collett’s best chance on Saturday. Collett reunites with the fast-finishing mare, which she won on at Gosford’s standalone meeting on May 10. She was a $6 Sportsbet chance in the eighth, a benchmark 88 handicap over 1100m, from gate three.

“She’s a little bit of a quirky ride, a little bit one-dimensional, but she’s going well,” Collett said.

“She had a fail that day at Rosehill on the heavy over the 1200, and I just enjoy her coming back to these shorter trips.

“The other day [when third] she made good ground late, so I’m hopeful tomorrow with the right barrier to put us in the right spot.”

Collett has the same gate with Green Shadows ($8.50) in the fifth, a benchmark 88 over 1600m.

“The other day [when fifth] he didn’t show any speed at all, so up to the mile, hopefully he can put himself in a better spot,” she said.

“He got spat out of the race twice, and it was a good effort to pick himself up and finish well the last 400.”

Another strong chance is John Thompson-trained Open Secret ($10) first-up in the 1100m race for two-year-olds to start the day. She was a winner on debut then sixth three times in stakes races.

“The other day we intended on taking a sit on her at the trials, and I thought that was great,” she said.

“She got in behind, relaxed and showed a good turn of foot when I asked for an effort that last little bit.”