Returning from a five-week injury-enforced break, Jason Collett has landed straight back in the winner’s circle with a hard-fought victory aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Wild Gypsy.
Collett had been sidelined since suffering multiple rib fractures in a race fall at Kembla Grange last month and Wednesday’s Randwick-Kensington meeting was his first since then.
He wasted no time getting on the board, scoring aboard the first of his two rides, but admitted he would have preferred a softer margin than Wild Gypsy’s head verdict.
“I didn’t need that tight a finish on the first one back, but great way to start it,” Collett said.
“I was just happy to come back and feel comfortable enough.
“It’s a good feeling.”
Collett plans to make a gradual return, taking two rides at Scone on Friday including Light Infantry Man for Ciaron Maher in the Scone Cup (1600m), before a busier book of seven mounts on the second day of the Scone carnival on Saturday.
Neasham was thrilled to be the one to give the top jockey his first win back, which she said was only fitting.
“It was actually our horse that he tumbled off, so it’s good to get him back in the winner’s stall today,” Neasham said.
Wild Gypsy led home a stable trifecta for Neasham in the Drinkwise Plate (1400m), and gave her a race-to-race double after she took out the opening event with two-year-old Megastar Heart.
The latter had finished runner-up on debut at Kembla Grange and could earn a trip to Brisbane after going one better on Wednesday.
“He is still big and raw but he’s only going to get better,” Neasham said.
“I think he’ll be better again as a three-year-old, whether we possibly give him a trip up to Brisbane, we’ll just see how he comes through this, but he’s a horse with plenty of promise.”
One horse who won’t be heading to Queensland is Learning To Fly with Neasham confirming the top filly has been spelled, ruling her out of the Brisbane winter carnival.