Latest News

By Ray Hickson

There’s nothing like race fitness and that’s jockey Jason Collett’s only concern as Stefi Magnetica looks to get back in the spring game at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Jason Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The Doncaster Mile winner had a setback after her first-up run in mid-September and that forced trainer Bjorn Baker to back off and reset her goals for the campaign.

She’s back in action in the Group 2 $2 million The Invitation (1400m) having pleased Collett with her narrow defeat behind Golden Rose winner Beiwacht in a trial just under two weeks ago.

“She had a good hit out at the trials and a good gallop on Tuesday,’’ Collett said.

“We think we’ve got her right and fit enough but we’ll find out more on Saturday.

“There are some fit runners in there that are going well so it isn’t going to be an easy task.”

Stefi Magnetica, $7 with TAB on Thursday, was being set for races like the Epsom Handicap and King Charles III Stakes when she ran a tidy first-up fourth in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill some six weeks ago.

It’s not lost on Collett that the five-year-old improves as she gets further into her preparation as was the case in both her Group 1 wins.

“She possibly could have had a touch of the virus (first-up), she was exposed early in a slowly run race and carried weight too so that run wasn’t too bad,’’ Collett said.

“Her best run was third-up in the Doncaster and I think it was similar when she won the Stradbroke as well.

“She’s not following the same pattern as previous preparations with that interruption and the setback in between.”

Collett’s job on classy filly Within The Law hasn’t been made any easier as he’ll need to negotiate the outside barrier in the Group 1 $2 million Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

It’s been a busy spring for the three-year-old who notched another Group 1 placing in the Flight Stakes and she’s on the back up after tackling the King Charles III Stakes last week.

She had to gallop in front of vets on Wednesday after she bled from one nostril in that race.

“She’s not given an easy task from that barrier, that’s going to make it difficult,’’ Collett said.

“I don’t think the 2000m will be a worry. I do note one of the other favourites (Attica) has drawn pretty wide too.

“It’s just where she’s going to get to, we’ll work out a plan but it does make the task more difficult.”

On paper Militarize looks to have his work cut out in the Group 3 $750,000 Cincotta Chemist Craven Plate (1800m) to turn the tables on Lindermann but Collett is adamant the gelding is heading the right way.

He’ll only meet a small field as he attempts to make up the 3-1/4 length margin from his fifth place in the Hill Stakes two weeks ago.

“He got a shuffle midrace which made it difficult to make up the ground on Lindermann who controlled it up front,’’ Collett said.

“The previous start we put him in the race and it didn’t really play out. I got great confidence off that last run.

Stefi Magnetica runs second in a Rosehill trial on October 13

“It’s a case of getting him to travel like he did last start and being as close to Lindermann as possible.”

Jason Collett on Lord Elrond (race 1): “I liked his trial, he was professional and had good barrier speed. He came back off the leader and came off the bridle and then had to quicken again which he did. His best work was on the line and through the line which is what I liked.”

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