An unshakable belief in his horse promises to help counteract any anxiety jockey Jason Collett may have over his high-profile role in the $500,000 Randwick Guineas on Saturday.
Collett is the only Guineas jockey who hasn’t ridden a Group One winner but in the favourite Rebel Dane, the 21-year-old has every reason to be confident his time will arrive at Warwick Farm.
“I am excited but come tomorrow there will be a bit of pressure and some nerves, no doubt,” Collett told AAP.
Against that, the former New Zealand jockey can’t fault what Rebel Dane has done at the races – and on the training track since his only defeat a fortnight ago.
“Coming into the Guineas his work’s been good, his last run was good and the form around him has stacked up,” Collett said.
“On that side everything’s fine … it’s just a matter of getting a bit of luck in the race.”
Rebel Dane goes into the Guineas after the only defeat of his career when he was edged out by Pierro in the Hobartville Stakes.
Pierro is missing on Saturday, leaving Rebel Dane, Proisir and It’s A Dundeel as the main chances from a lead-up race that has provided three Guineas winners since the first leg of an autumn triple crown for three-year-olds was renamed and had a distance change in 2006.
In what should represent a further endorsement of his chances, Rebel Dane’s autumn formline mirrors that of Shoot Out who won the Royal Sovereign Stakes and was runner-up in the Hobartville before his 2010 Guineas success.
It’s the strength of that form that has kept the Gary Portelli-trained colt at the forefront of betting charts as the $3 Guineas favourite, although many expect Proisir ($3.20) to assume top billing closer to start time.
Peter Snowden has numbers on his side as he tries to win the Guineas for the first time but their chances have been ignored by market assessors.
The Darley trainer will saddle up Tatra, Proverb and Solemn and has settled on the former as his best chance.
Tatra failed on a rain-affected track in the Hobartville but his form on top of the ground includes a Group Two Sandown Guineas win.
“I think if the weather stays fine, Tatra is my pick,” Snowden said.
“He’s just got a bit more precociousness about him and he’ll be up on the speed.”
