Collett siblings making a mark in Singapore
With the overwhelming amount of rain in Franklin, it has been quiet on the local racing front, but Pukekohe’s Collett siblings have been making their mark in Singapore.
On a night of international note on the Singapore racing calendar, where stake money of in excess of $4.4million was on offer, the two former Pukekohe High School students were plying their trade and winning races and putting New Zealand on the map.
They were competing with some of the best international jockeys currently riding in Australasia including; Glen Boss, famous for winning three Melbourne Cups on Makybe Diva as well as three W.S. Cox Plates and Vlad Duric who is the current champion jockey in Singapore and has ridden Group One winners in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and England.
The major event on the card, the Kranji Mile, attracted a field of top performers including starters from New Zealand and Hong Kong. It was the New Zealand gelding Ocean Emperor that Sydney based Jason Collett was invited to Singapore to ride. Unfortunately the Garry Hennessey trained Ocean Park gelding could only finish midfield, however earlier on the card at his first ride on the Kranji track, Collett kicked home Auspicious Day, a Showcasing gelding to win over 1600 metres.
Not to be outdone, Alysha Collett kicked home her first winner in Singapore on Eye Guy for Singaporean trainer Michael Clements. She also finished third on Countofmontecristo in the $SP1, 000,000 Lion City Cup for the same trainer. This was the second weekend riding for Alysha, who is in Singapore on a six month contract.
Racing in Singapore is hugely competitive and to be granted a licence to ride in Singapore for six months is no mean feat. The criteria is very strict and Collett would have had to jump through hoops to be granted that licence, as well as leaving New Zealand when she was still firmly in second place on the jockey’s premiership.