‘Closer to J-Mac’: Collett’s shot at Golden Rose glory

It has been 13 years since Jason Collett arrived in Sydney from New Zealand with his saddles and a dream, hoping to follow the success of fellow kiwi Chris Waller.

Collett remembers being in awe of Waller’s achievements, but he will always remember the advice he got from the premier trainer along the way.

It was not often, but it was there when the young jockey needed it.

“Chris was starting to climb the ladder and win premierships, and for someone like me, it was good to see another New Zealander doing well in Sydney,” Collett said.

“It was a little like, if he can do it, so can I.”

“Chris has been so good to me with little things, away from rides, that helped with my confidence, and I don’t think he really knows what it has meant.”

Waller would give Collett his first Group 1 win – Invincibella in 2019 Tatt’s Tiara – and has given him more winners than any other trainer.

However, Waller has never trusted Collett with an assignment as significant as Autumn Boy in the Golden Rose at Rosehill on Saturday.

“It’s the shortest priced Group 1 ride I have had for him. I’m usually the longer priced ones,” Collett said. “It is a big opportunity that you need to take.”

Collett paused as if to remember something.

“Chris grabbed me a couple of months ago and told me, ‘you’re not as far away from James [McDonald] as you think’.

“That was pretty special.”

Waller remembers the conversation with Collett, who has lived in the shadow of McDonald since his apprentice days.

“Jason is all class,” Waller said. “He is up with the best now and he has worked hard. He needed to know that. He is in the mix for these types of rides now.”

It is unusual for McDonald not to be on the top seed for Waller. He rides the Coolmore-owned Wodeton, which is a $5 chance, but having ridden both colts at their previous start, Collett wanted to stick with Autumn Boy, the $4.60 second pick in betting.

More importantly, Waller wanted him on it.

“We are not easy to ride for,” Waller starts. “We have very good horses and we have expectations, high expectations.”

“We want the best jockeys on and you earn your right to get on a colt like Autumn Boy.”

“There is a lot on the line, including stud deals, so we have to get it right with the jockeys.”

“Jason is a quality rider and suits Autumn Boy.”

Collett won on Autumn Boy on debut when he was a $51 outsider and was on him again at his spring return in the Ming Dynasty Stakes, where he was narrowly beaten but was promoted to Golden Rose favouritism until Tempted won the Run To The Rose an hour later.

Autumn Boy charged home to be Ming Dynasty runner-up behind stablemate Sixties but Collett felt there was a lot more to come and believes the blinkers will make a difference with him.

“He is that little bit casual, so they will help,” he said. “He has got gears and just had so much improvement left in him.”

“When I rode that first day, he felt like a good horse going to the barriers, but in the race, he surprised me.”

“He went through his gears and every time I asked, there was another one there. You don’t ride one like that too often.”

Autumn Boy will lead Waller’s Golden Rose charge, joining Golden Slipper runner-up Wodeton, Sixties and Beiwacht for Godolphin, and there is a bit of confidence around the stable.

“I can’t find a negative that I often can find going into a Group 1 race like this,” Waller said.

“Autumn Boy has done everything right, he does remind me of his dad The Autumn Sun. I think the blinkers can have that pair closer and then it is down to the speed of the race.”

“If they run along I think he is going to be very hard to beat.”