Kool Vinnie has made a welcome return to form at the scene of a rare failure and continued Jason Collett’s purple patch at Canterbury.
Buoyed by riding a personal best four winners at Randwick on Saturday, Collett saluted again when the Kris Lees-trained four-year-old atoned for finishing last on December 20 when he over-raced first-up.
On his best behaviour on Wednesady, Kool Vinnie ($7) raced to a half-length win in the TAB Handicap (1200m) over $3.60 favourite Onslaught.
“He wanted to over-race early and that brought him undone last time,” Lees’ representative Cameren Swan said.
“He travelled well and hit the line great.”
Collett said Kool Vinnie exceeded his expectations on the run home after he rode him quietly.
“When they took off before the bend I thought I might get a nice third,” he said.
“Then he sort of balanced up and started to quicken more and more.”
The victory continued a successful association between the Newcastle-based Lees and co-owners Charlie Hill and Phillip Tonkin.
They also own classy mare Invincible Gem, who was second in last year’s Group One Randwick Guineas before winning the Group Two Missile Stakes.
Lees, who was at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast, ended up with a treble after Feelin The Love and Cordoned won the Ranvet Handicap (1550m) and Schweppes Handicap (1100m) respectively with Brenton Avdulla aboard.
