Consensus has won the Zabeel Classic in New Zealand to give her trainer Stephen McKee another welcome win at the top level and her jockey Alysha Colllett a first.
McKee is best known for training champion Sunline in partnership with his now-retired father Trevor but has had a quiet year.
Collett’s win on the mare at Ellerslie on Monday was her first Group One success and gives her bragging rights over elder brother Jason, a top 10 rider in Sydney who has yet to get off the mark at the elite level.
Consensus got through late to beat the favourite, established Group One performer Volkstok’n’barrell, in the 2000m-feature.
“We’ve had a quiet run this year but we’ve had a good day today so hopefully we are on the way back,” McKee told nzracing.co.
“The fast tempo helped her and she always seems to run her best races here.”
Leo Molloy, who trained Consensus early in her career, manages the syndicate of family members which races the mare.
“She’s a consistent mare who’s been placed eleven times at stakes level so it’s good to get the big one,” he said.
“It’s good for the family as she’s a family horse. Mum is two years dead but this is the first horse she ever raced so it’s pretty important to us.”
Collett, who joins elder sister Tasha as a Group One winner, began her association with Consensus in September 2015 and has ridden her in every start since.
“Today we were on the outside and coming over the top of them with the perfect run,” said Collett.
“I couldn’t ask for any more. She’s a tough mare and she deserves it.
“I’m pretty chuffed. I can’t thank Leo and Stephen enough as they’ve supported me being on her the whole way.”
Jason Collett will return to the Sydney riding ranks on Wednesday after being sidelined for several weeks with a broken foot.
