Latest News

By Ray Hickson

A day trip to Coonamble last month was enough to confirm to jockey Jason Collett that Gallant Star is the benchmark for Saturday’s $1m Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick.

Jason Collett and Brett Robb after Gallant Star's win at Coonamble. (Pic: Janian McMillan).

While Gallant Star was widely expected to win the WRA title on March 16, and he did by more than four lengths, he showed Collett a new weapon he has at his disposal.

It was his first run since he scored a runaway all the way win in the Barn Dance in November and it told Collett the gelding’s race sense has caught up with his ability.

“I’d say it added a bit more confidence that I was able to ride him in that manner and achieve it,’’ Collett said.

“If I hadn’t have gone I’d still be confident but I got a bit more going there.

“I was really happy with how he came back, happy with his performance, and he was able to win ridden in a bit different manner. And he went well too.

“In the Barn Dance he improved clearing the gates and he was well away at Coonamble, obviously he had a bit of class on them and it was easy to lead. It adds a bit more to him.”

Gallant Star, $3.20 with TAB on Thursday, was runner-up in the Country Championships Final last year and he’ll be aiming to emulate Another One from 2022 who won the prestigious race a year after finishing second.

Collett said he’s happy with barrier four for Brett Robb’s stable star especially now he’s showing a willingness to spring out of the stalls.

Stefi Magnetica got a pass mark from Collett for her fifth placing in the George Ryder and feels she’s not out of the discussion in the Group 1 $4m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m).

The Bjorn Baker-trained mare is often on the wrong side of the luck in her races, certainly that was the case in the spring, and while Collett said she had every chance second-up he has a bit to work with.

“I think she will improve off that fitness wise. She was second-up off a disappointing first-up run so there will be improvement there,’’ he said.

“I worked her on Tuesday and I thought her work was better than leading into the Ryder. She’s drawn favourably to get a softer run where I hope she can be stronger at the finish.”

Where Collett feels the four-year-old will have her best chance is if the race is a traditional Doncaster and run at a solid tempo, which is always possible in a capacity field at the Randwick mile.

“We rode her more tactically the other day just due to how it was going to play out,’’ he said.

“She was in the right spot but I think the size of the field will create more tempo and make it a more genuinely run race, that will allow us to ride her where she is more comfortably.”

Collett isn’t ruling out a Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) win for emerging two-year-old State Visit.

The colt, trained by Ciaron Maher, debuted with an impressive win at Canterbury then Collett said to finish as close as he did in the Group 3 Pago Pago (1200m) was a big effort and a glimpse of what he can do.

He came from last on the turn to run third behind Skyhook.

Gallant Star wins the WRA Championships at Coonamble

“We had to go back off a wide gate, the tempo wasn’t strong and didn’t really suit us back there,’’ he said.

“I was happy with the way he attacked the line. The 1400m is good and he’s drawn a favourable barrier, I think he will be able to use it to a degree and be in a competitive spot.

“He’s coming through nicely whereas a lot of these have come through the Slipper, which I suppose you could say was the grand final but I’m really happy with him going into it.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 1 of The Star Championships at Randwick