Jockey Jason Collett suspects import Don Diego De Vega will launch off his promising local debut in Saturday’s James Squire Handicap (1800m) at Randwick but says the key to his chances will be how testing the going is.
Jockey Jason Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).
That’s what he feels brought the grey, trained by Annabel Neasham, undone when he ran Bear On The Loose to just under a length over the same distance at Rosehill two weeks ago.
While Randwick was rated heavy 8 on Friday, it’s been largely a clear week and Collett hopes that translates into an improving track.
“The first trial I gave him I really liked and first-up I think if it was a better surface he would have won the race,’’ Collett said.
“He just struggled in that testing going that day.
“He travelled really well on the bridle until I asked him to quicken in the ground, he didn’t have a big margin to make up on Gai’s horse and when we got within a length he just struggled.”
Don Diego De Vega, $2.40 with TAB on Friday, has raced just six times and Collett said while the potential is clearly there he still has a bit to learn.
He’ll have another Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott on pacer to run down in I’mintowin and Collett wouldn’t like to see that horse get a picnic in front.
He said the four-year-old should have the tactical ability to not be conceding a huge start and if he does take a step forward from that first-up run he’ll be hard to hold out.
“He had quite a long time between his previous start in France but he’s had a good base,’’ he said.
“They started him up over ground and he was still strong late in ground he didn’t appreciate.
“He is inexperienced and he’s got to adapt to Australian racing which is a touch different to France. Racing is going to do him good experience wise.
“He had form over further back there so a truly run race would suit me better.
“From his first trial to his second trial to his race he’s improved clearing the gates better. So I don’t think from a half decent gate he’ll not be too far off them.”
Collett would love to find out what Captain Amelia can do if she was able to take up a more forward spot in her races but is resigned to conceding a start from another wide barrier in the I Love 0% Cocktails Handicap (1400m).
The filly started favourite a month ago at Randwick on the back of an eye-catching third-up performance but Collett is prepared to forgive her failure after never getting into the race.
“She went fantastic two starts ago in a slowly run race where it definitely helped to be up on the fence and she wasn’t,’’ he said.
“She went out favourite next start and was disappointing. It was the last race of the day and the track deteriorated quite a bit, and she wasn’t comfortable.”
Super Strike’s last win was when blinkers were applied and over the same course as the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1800m) so Collett is certain he can improve.
Trained by Richard Collett, Super Strike was forced to run in an unsuitable race, the McKell Cup, two weeks ago and the jockey believes a wide barrier will be in his favour.
“When the races were called off (three weeks ago) he missed a run so he went around in the stakes race last start which was probably a touch too far on a heavy track,’’ he said.
“But he needed to get the run under his belt.
“The blinkers are going to be a huge help. He’s not an overly confident horse underneath runners which is what happened the other day.”
– Racing NSW
