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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Jason Collett admits the racing style of two-time Group 1 placed She’s Ideel is far from ideal but he’s impressed with how the mare has strengthened with age.

Jockey Jason Collett. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Sure it’s a cliché, we hear that kind of statement regularly, but it gives Collett some confidence she can back up an eye-catching first-up run in Saturday’s Group 2 $250,000 Heineken Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

At her first run since the Sydney Cup, the Bjorn Baker-trained mare clocked easily the fastest last 600m in the Group 1 Winx Stakes, running 33.62 (Punter’s Intelligence), over 1400m as she charged into third place behind Mo’unga and Verry Elleegant.

“I think she’s come back a stronger horse. I know you always hear that,’’ he said.

“It feels like there’s a bit more substance under you, she’s starting to fill out her frame more and more.

“You look at a few of the horses around her and it’s a huge run.

“Once I asked her to improve on straightening, she was run off her feet a bit through the middle, she started to let down and they started to capitulate in front of her.”

While wary of any potential ‘second-up syndrome’, Collett said She’s Ideel ($7.50 with TAB on Friday) has proven to be consistent regardless of distance as evidenced last preparation when she was narrowly beaten second-up over the Randwick mile.

The Chelmsford is a step up from that race, which was the Group 3 Aspiration Quality for mares, but he’s confident if she can get into the clear, having drawn barrier one, in plenty of time she can wind up just as well as she did fresh.

“Her racing style doesn’t make it easy,’’ he said.

“It’s a similar case to last prep where I found trouble at Rosehill one day trying to hold a spot when she drew inside.

“She doesn’t have a lot of tactical speed and when you want to accelerate it’s not as sharp, it’s more momentum and to keep coming.”

Collett has an interesting book of rides at Randwick and he’s keen to see what promising filly Mallory can do second-up in the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Furious Stakes (1200m) after a luckless first-up fifth in the Silver Shadow.

The jockey is adamant Mallory would have been in the finish of that race and is looking for a race that’s less ‘bunchy’ than her return event turned out to be.

“It was messy in the straight and was frustrating not to be able to give her the chance to see what she had,’’ he said.

“Hopefully it will be a more truly run race which would help. I think she has come back well but when we get her into the clear air with a chance to run on we will learn more.”

He also partners import Cepheus for Matthew Dunn in the Sharp Extensive IT Handicap (1500m) and was rapt with his local debut at Kembla three weeks ago.

Cepheus clocked 33.33 for his last 600m as he ran into fourth behind Frosty Rocks, who recorded a track record from on the pace, so his performance was outstanding.

“He felt quite sharp under me for a horse being aimed for longer so it will be interesting to see how he is second-up,’’ Collett said.

She's Ideel runs third in the Winx Stakes on August 21

“In a race that was on speed dominated he was giving them a nice start at the top of the straight.

“For how sharp he was over 1400m it begs the question whether he’s a bit flat second-up being a stayer but we will learn more on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, Collett gave his TAB Everest ride Gytrash a spin on Thursday winning a 742m barrier trial at Randwick and he warned not to be fooled by him riding the horse out a bit in the gallop.

The gelding carried a tongue tie in the race and Collett said there were no issues in the run or on pulling up.

“He’s lazy, he’s not like a Nature Strip and you watch a trial and go ‘gee he trialled great’,’’ he said.

“I had to make him do it, that’s why I pushed him out and pushed him past the line to get a bit more into him.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting