After missing much of the Sydney autumn carnival with injury, Jason Collett will waste no time getting his season back on track when he returns to Saturday racing with a bumper book of ten rides at Gosford.
Collett spent six weeks on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone in a race fall at Warwick Farm on March 23 and hasn’t ridden at a Saturday meeting since Golden Slipper day.
While the timing of his injury was challenging, a philosophical Collett was grateful it wasn’t worse and stayed positive by spending precious time with his young family.
“It wasn’t ideal, but I walked away with just a broken collarbone and it could have been a lot worse,” Collett said.
“There are plenty more Championships, hopefully, in my career to come that I’ll be able to ride in.
“On the bright side, I got to spend more time with the family.
“I got the chance to go back home and take our daughter Scarlett and it was the first time my family could meet her. Just seeing my parents see her for the first time, it was pretty cool.”
Enjoying one of his best seasons in the saddle, Collett made a low-key return at Kembla Grange on Tuesday but will up the tempo at Gosford where his mounts include the Chris Waller-trained pair of Oscar Zulu in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) and Kiku in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m).
Collett captured the sprint last year aboard Enchanted Heart and said the resuming Oscar Zulu appeared a genuine chance in an open race.
“The set-up looks good, his first-up record is very strong and I’ve had a win on him too,” Collett said.
“I don’t think the wet track is an issue, so he ticks a few boxes there.”
Kiku notched a brace of Group 2 placings over the carnival and has been freshened since enduring a tough run from a wide draw when down the track in the Doncaster Mile.
Collett is happy to overlook that and expects her to be competitive if she runs up to her previous form.
“Her runs prior to that were good and should make her very competitive on Saturday,” Collett said.
“In the Doncaster, she was back and wide and she struggled to really get into the race, so we’ll put a line through that and I think she is a nice chance.”
Collett’s remaining book includes New Zealand visitor Marroni in the Gosford Gold Cup (2080m) and the promising Battleton, who resumes after finishing fifth to Home Affairs in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring.
