This Saturday young jockey Jason Collett will maintain his association with crack colt Rebel Dane looking to ride his maiden Group 1 winner in the 2013 Randwick Guineas at Warwick Farm Racecourse.
Rebel Dane is Jason Collett's best chance of a Group 1 win in the Randwick Guineas 2013. Photo: Steve Hart.
Of the 11 horses and hoops left in the mix for the $500,000 Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) following the early scratching of #8 Ashokan and #11 High Shot, 21-year-old Collett is the only jockey yet to ride an elite level winner.
He may be up against the big guns but one thing is firmly in his favour – he’s on the deserving favourite.
“I am excited but come tomorrow there will be a bit of pressure and some nerves, no doubt,” Collett told AAP on Friday.
The Gary Portelli-trained California Dane three-year-old Rebel Dane has been dominating the Randwick Guineas odds since markets opened on the final field this week.
They are now into $2.80 for their first look at a Group 1 field and the mile, Rebel Dane having won four of their five career starts to date.
Their biggest victory came two runs back when they took out the Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) first-up at Rosehill.
Following that they ran another wonderful race when coming within a short half-head of defeating Gai Waterhouse’s resuming champ Pierro in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m), a race that has produced three Randwick Guineas winners since 2006, which was run on a Heavy (9) track.
They get their home course at ‘The Farm’ this weekend and a gun draw with barrier one giving them every chance to salute for the punters.
One person confident Rebel Dane can get the job done is Collett who has been aboard for all five of their runs to date.
“Coming into the Guineas his work’s been good, his last run was good and the form around him has stacked up,” the former New Zealander said.
“On that side everything’s fine … it’s just a matter of getting a bit of luck in the race.”
In other Randwick Guineas betting news the odds on Spring Champion Stakes winner It’s A Dundeel have firmed notably over the past few hours, Murray Baker’s Kiwi raider in from $6.50 to $6 making them the market mover.
Drawn one outside Rebel Dane in barrier two, the High Chaparral colt is second-up for the season here following an eye-catching fourth in the Hobartville where they finished off the best of the bunch having come from last on the turn for home.
To check out the full range of 2013 Randwick Guineas betting odds and options head over to bookmaker.com.au where you will also have access to exclusive Pick Your Own Odds markets on the big Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival events.
