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By Ray Hickson

It could be a sign of confidence in himself as much as the horse because jockey Jason Collett says choosing between stablemates Sejardan and Fireburn as his ride in Saturday’s $5 million Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) wasn’t as agonising at it looks on paper.

Jockey Jason Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The market says Collett has made the right move among the Gary Portelli youngsters with Sejardan second favourite at $7 with TAB pre-barrier draw while Fireburn was a $15 chance.

Fresh from notching his third Group 1 success on Lighthouse in last weekend’s Coolmore Classic, Collett said he’s been riding a wave this season and believes he’s made the correct decision as he chases his first win in one of Australia’s most prestigious races.

“It’s the best chance I’ve been on going into a Slipper,’’ he said.

“There was a wee bit of difficultly, I had a think, but I liked him from day one and he just keeps winning.

“We’ve won Group 2s the last three Saturdays plus a Group 1. We were a nose away two weeks ago from having another Group 1 (on Startantes in the Surround Stakes).

“I do feel more confident in these bigger races. That’s shown more this season, I’ve had a good season.”

Collett, sitting in second spot behind James McDonald in the Sydney Jockeys Premiership, said he simply couldn’t let Sejardan go around in the Slipper without him.

It goes back to the colt’s first public appearance at the official two-year-old trials, and everything he’s done since then has only enforced the jockey’s gut feeling.

“When I trialled him I remember thinking this horse feels a bit classy,’’ he said.

“I think I rode five or six that day and he felt nice, then he trialled well. Then he won pretty well from an awkward spot on straightening (in the Breeders’ Plate) and he managed to get out of it, and he’s managed to do that each time.”

Sejardan will be in line to emulate his sire Sebring who won the Breeders’ Plate and trained on to win the Golden Slipper in 2008. Pierro (2011) and Capitalist (2015) have also achieved that double.

He made it three wins from four starts in taking out the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) on March 5 in testing ground and Collett is confident he’ll handle whatever conditions present at Rosehill.

“At Randwick it was looser ground than last weekend,’’ he said.

“I didn’t think he loved it but I don’t think it’ll be like that on Saturday. If it’s sticky it takes away a horse’s sprint but he got through it, whether it was his class or he just gets through it I’m not sure.”

What he takes further confidence from, and this goes for Fireburn as well, is that Portelli has been able to give the horse the preparation he wanted heading into the biggest two-year-old race around.

Since he won the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill at his second start, Portelli set out a plan to get to the Slipper and while he was beaten with excuses in the Inglis Millennium his Todman win showed he was on target.

Sejardan wins the Todman at Randwick on March 5

The general view that the fillies are superior this season didn’t come into Collett’s thinking and he has a healthy respect for Fireburn who he’s piloted to two wins including the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) on February 26.

The form around Fireburn has been strengthened in recent weeks with Revolutionary Miss, who she beat on January 1, finishing a close second in the Group 1 Blue Diamond last month, while she easily accounted for Magic Night Stakes winner She’s Extreme in the Sweet Embrace.

Collett said if there happens to be rain this week and the track is very deep it would only be a plus for her.

“I know she was aided by the heavy surface the other day and she relished it,’’ he said.

“She has a similar type of racing style (to Sejardan) and if the track is genuine heavy it’s going to help her more than others. And she always seems to find the line strongly, like Sejardan.”

All the entries, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill