Back in August as Jason Collett came back on Kote in a Kensington maiden, he thought it was one that got away, so he was happy to get the call-up to make amends on a bigger stage in the Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
The Choisir three-year-old never saw clear air in the straight as he returned from a spell and only beat two home, but it was no surprise to Collett that he has gone on to win two races since and on another occasion he had no luck again.
Kote was an easy winner in Midway company two weeks ago and is ready to step up in Saturday’s Brian Crowley Stakes. Credit:Getty
“I was filling in for Tommy Berry on him because he was sick that day and I’m doing it again on the weekend, and it was one of those sick feelings because I knew he should have won,” Collett said. “They say the one that gets away is the one you never get again.
“He felt like a nice horse and it was a pretty good maiden, but I never got a chance to test him.
“I have watched what he has done and the two times he has got a clean run he has won, and he has found a good black type race on Saturday.
“I know it was only Midway company last time, but he has looked a lot better than that [grade].
“I’m pretty confident he can be somewhere near the lead and that he will have a good kick in the straight. It’s a good race to get a second go on him.”
Kote is the $4.50 second pick in betting to Willunga Beast, which brings the Princess Series form to the Crowley and is the $2.90 favourite.
Collett has chances in all the Randwick features, riding Flag Of Honour in the Callander-Presnell and Conqueror in the Spring Champion Stakes, but with the wet weather around, Never Talk could be his best ride in The Invitation.
“It’s always good to be on a wet-tracker these days and if we get the rain, Never Talk’s chances certainly increase,” Collett said.
“She got a long way the other day [in The Nivison] and really found the line and got through that bottomless ground well.
“There are some nice mares in the race on Saturday, but she has shown she is up to them before and she gets a real advantage if the ground is heavy.”
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