A trouble-free preparation has laid the foundation for former New Zealander Super Strike to break through for his first Australian win at Randwick.
The six-year-old was a Group 3 performer across the Tasman but spent almost two years on the sidelines through injury before connections brought him to Sydney last spring.
While he showed promise at his initial campaign, he was ring rusty after so long out, his best effort a placing behind Cavalier Charles and Cotehele at Rosehill in December.
With that grounding now under his belt, Super Strike has returned with a brace of encouraging runs, rocketing home for third to Cisco Bay first-up before doing it tough from a wide draw when beaten less than two lengths by Democracy Manifest last start.
Top jockey Jason Collett takes over the reins in Saturday’s Hitotsu New To Arrowfield Handicap (1800m) and it will be a family affair as Super Strike is trained by his father, Richard.
Jason Collett knows the horse well, having partnered him three times last campaign and again in his two barrier trials, and he feels Super Strike has his foot on the till.
“He showed glimpses of form last preparation, but he was coming off a long layoff and he had a couple of little niggles through that prep,” Jason Collett said.
“This time around it’s been a lot smoother.
“He had the two trials, his first-up run was good, then he was caught wide last start and it probably just told late in his finish.
“We think the distance will suit him down to the ground.”
The jockey’s only niggle is Super Strike’s lack of tactical speed, making the horse reliant on tempo and luck.
“He doesn’t have a lot of gate speed so he’s going to be in the back half of the field which does make his job tricky, but he should be finishing the race off pretty strongly,” Collett said.
