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By Ray Hickson

It’s half the battle won for a two-year-old if they can mentally cope with the race day experience and jockey Jason Collett is confident that’s something Nonu will do at Randwick on Saturday.

The NZ$600,000 son of champion Anamoe was one of the stars of the official trials last week and Collett said how he conducted himself is a good sign going into the Group 3 $150,000 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate (1000m).

“You want them to handle the occasion well, that’s a good starting point and he did that,’’ Collett said.

“It’s everything from the journey there to how they are in the birdcage, you obviously want them to trial good as well.

“He’s up in behind so he still has more growing to do, so for him to be here and producing it says there’s raw ability there.”

Nonu, $2.10 with TAB on Friday, ran the second fastest time of the 850m heats for the colts and geldings in scoring a 3-1/2 length win in his trial.

Jockey Jason Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Collett is pleased to have drawn a comfortable barrier with the Bjorn Baker-trained colt which he says gives him options to see how the early part of the race plays out.

“He’s very raw, unassuming, a lovely type of horse and I just like that he was in front, not knowing what he was doing, and his ears were pricked,’’ he said.

“I gave him a click up at the 150m and he responded but the part I like is there was still more to come.”

It’s been 13 years since Collett’s lone win in the Group 3 $150,000 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), that was on Alpha Miss, and he’s won one Breeders’ Plate as well with Sejardan in 2021.

He’ll partner Justify filly Rhythm for Baker in the Gimcrack and he says she has plenty of talent but didn’t get the mental part right at the trials.

“I really like this filly. I gave her the first jump out at Warwick Farm, she was probably the pick of the two-year-olds I rode,’’ he said.

“I had another gallop on her after that. She probably didn’t handle the occasion the other day, that was the difference between her and Nonu.”

A $300,000 buy, Rhythm has an awkward barrier to contend with but Collett actually sees that as a positive given what she did wrong when running third behind Runaway Diva in her trial.

“She was professional out of the barriers, had some speed, but didn’t execute after that,’’ he said.

“She still managed to trial well but I know what she’s got underneath the hood and I think giving her a bit more time she will be very strong late.”

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