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By Ray Hickson

Gytrash wasn’t himself in the TAB Everest but jockey Jason Collett is quietly confident that with a bit of luck he can defend his crown in Saturday’s $1m Classique Legend Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Jockey Jason Collett. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The six-year-old pulled up with some small issues after finishing a battling seventh behind Nature Strip and Collett said he can only put that run behind him given co-trainer Gordon Richards is happy with the horse.

“I was disappointed with the run. He was positioned to win the race from there and he couldn’t get the job done,’’ he said.

“He hit a flat spot, which he can do in his races when the pressure goes on, but he never came out of it.

“He pulled up with a couple of niggles and they’ve been taken care of so I’d expect a more genuine Gytrash performance.”

After finishing third in the 2020 TAB Everest, Gytrash overcame a wide gate to run down Haut Brion Her to win this race last year, named after the previous year’s Everest winner, and he has another outside alley to contend with.

Collett expects the pace to be on early, especially with Eduardo confirmed to run, which he hopes will allow Gytrash to slot in somewhere with a bit of cover.

He said his preference would be for Rosehill not to be as firm as it was on Golden Rose day to give the gelding his best chance.

“Masked Crusader is the one to beat, the distance is a question mark with Eduardo but from my perspective there looks a bit of pressure,’’ he said.

“There’s a short run to the turn from that start so there’s going to be a bit of a charge going forward I would think. We drew eight of nine last year so we will just play it by ear.

“I won’t have too much of a plan, I’m relying on what others do to get into a position.

“At his best he should be in the finish. He probably should have beaten (Nature Strip and Eduardo) first-up but we were a couple of lengths off them in the Everest.”

Gytrash started $8 in the TAB Everest but his below par run has him marked $17 with TAB on Friday.

Kiss Sum is Collett’s mount in the $700,000 Four Pillars (1500m) and he’s confident that the addition of blinkers will be a big asset.

The three-year-old, trained by Tracey Bartley, won impressively first-up but he’s not had the best of luck in two subsequent runs in midweek city grade the latest of those beaten under three lengths by Snitzonfire at Kensington on October 20.

Collett said some of that misfortune is the horse’s own doing.

“His barrier manners aren’t great and it makes things difficult for him,’’ he said.

“His past two runs I thought have been good considering where he’s come from and the tempo of the races haven’t suited. He’s going to get a completely different run race and hopefully he can take a more competitive position than he has been.”

Gytrash wins last year's Yes Yes Yes (Classique Legend) Stakes at Rosehill

He’s a $13 chance with TAB in the Four Pillars.

Promising sprinter Delexo set a track record when he led all the way over 1000m at Kensington last week and Collett has no qualms about the extra distance in the Ned Whisky Handicap (1100m).

But he says it’s paramount that the four-year-old, $3.40 favourite with TAB, is fast into stride as he feels his best chance is to again lead throughout.

“I’m not too worried about the 1100m, he did it pretty easily the other day,’’ he said.

“He is going to want to have control of the race so he will need to be begin well. That made the job easy.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Eagle meeting at Rosehill