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Collett hoping to find Express lane in Gong

Will fortune finally favour luckless gelding Territory Express in The Gong?

TERRITORY EXPRESS.
TERRITORY EXPRESS. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange.

The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern that can often play against him, as was the case in the Five Diamonds (1800m) last start when he was disappointed for runs in the straight before charging home for fifth.

With regular rider Zac Lloyd suspended, Collett reunites with the Paul Niceforo-trained gelding in The Gong (1600m) on Saturday, well aware it will take some good fortune, as well as a good steer, to get the horse back in the winner's circle.

"Early days I rode him a few times and his racing pattern hasn't changed," Collett said.

"He is still slow out of the gates, and he gets into tricky positions due to that. But when he gets the luck, he can get out of them.

"He's got mountains of class but he's difficult to always get right.

"All the work they've done and it hasn't been able to change, so obviously that's him and we have to work with that."

Territory Express has drawn well in barrier seven and has been racing in tremendous heart throughout the spring, finishing an eye-catching sixth first-up in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) then just missing behind Iknowastar in the Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).

Collett will partner Frilled for Matthew Smith in the day's other feature, the Group 3 The Warra (1000m).

The mare hasn't been far away in three Melbourne runs and she does hold the Kembla Grange 1000m track record of 55.79 seconds, set in September last year.

Four of her wins have been over the distance, although she is chasing her first success in just over 12 months.

"She has got a very good record but now up in grade, she is probably starting to find her mark," Collett said.

"But besides the top couple, the rest are racing above their benchmark so she's probably not badly placed."

Collett has ridden 22 city winners so far this season to sit third on the Sydney jockeys' premiership, behind only James McDonald (45 wins) and Tim Clark (25).


Racing and Sports

Kembla Grange

Saturday, 23rd November 2024

8
ET

THE ILLAWARRA MERCURY GONG (G3)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 117lbs Type: Qlty
1 m TURF GOOD
8

(local)
AUD $1,000,000
1 m GOOD

THE ILLAWARRA MERCURY GONG (G3)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 117lbs Type: Qlty


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 1. GRINGOTTS (NZ) 5yo G
PER INCANTO (USA) - MISS BLUEBELL (NZ)
TOMMY BERRY
CIARON MAHER
$2.6
60kg
A Kheir, J O'Neill, Deg Racing (Mgr: D Degenhardt), T Maddern, Bromfield Park P/L (Mgr: W Pearce), B Secatore, Mrs R Secatore, J Docherty, P Cook, B Nettlefold, J Simmons, Ms S Fitzgerald, A K Racing, Carty Racing, D Edmonds, S Lewin, Mamaray Racing, A Willoughby, C Secatore & D Meredith

Sales Information

2nd 15. SUPARAZI (AUS) 6yo G
SUPER ONE (AUS) - ARAZI BELLE (AUS)
BLAKE SPRIGGS
BEN BRISBOURNE
$26
54kg
Affinity Thoroughbred Racing, Rhodes No.1 Syndicate. S McMillan, S J Clarke, G J Diamond, T Lucas, M Green, A G Shannon, B F McMillan, S M Liddell & D Kocev

Sales Information

3rd 11. STEPARTY (AUS) 4yo G
ARTIE SCHILLER (USA) - WATCH YOUR STEP (AUS)
BLAIKE MCDOUGALL
PAUL PREUSKER
$7.5
56kg
G J Baldwin, D M Drum, D A Russ, Snow Road Thoroughbreds, V J Nally, P A Hetherington, B J Nally, A Cassidy, G A McLaren, P G Walsh, B N Bannerman, R W McIntosh, Miss T Weir, Swan Hill Gang, Ben Gee Racing, M L Telford, Ms E L Telford, Dr P R Knight, Ms G L Wellard & B J Morris
4th 12. WATERFORD (IRE) 5yo G
AWTAAD (IRE) - WAKE UP (GER)
REGAN BAYLISS
CHRIS WALLER
$16
55.5kg

Sales Information

5th 6. ENCAP (AUS) 4yo G
CAPITALIST (AUS) - ENQUARE (AUS)
RACHEL KING
GARY PORTELLI
$21
56.5kg

Sales Information

6th 16. VIVY AIR (AUS) 4yo M
HELLBENT (AUS) - HEAD OVER HEELS (AUS)
ANDREW ADKINS
CIARON MAHER
$19
53kg
7th 9. LEKVARTE (NZ) 6yo M
RELIABLE MAN (GB) - PLUMM (AUS)
JOSH PARR
JOSEPH PRIDE
$11
56kg

Sales Information

8th 5. LION'S ROAR (NZ) 7yo G
CONTRIBUTER (IRE) - MINNALEO (NZ)
TOM SHERRY
JOHN O'SHEA & TOM CHARLTON
$71
57kg

Sales Information

9th 10. CONVERGE (AUS) 6yo G
FRANKEL (GB) - CONVERSELY (IRE)
TIM CLARK
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$26
56kg
10th 8. OSIPENKO (NZ) 5yo G
PIERRO (AUS) - RASKOVA (USA)
RORY HUTCHINGS
CHRIS WALLER
$21
56.5kg

Sales Information

11th 3. TERRITORY EXPRESS (AUS) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - MISS CHATTERING (AUS)
JASON COLLETT
PAUL NICEFORO
$7
58kg
12th 14. LOCH EAGLE (AUS) 6yo G
LONHRO (AUS) - SONG STREET (IRE)
KERRIN MCEVOY
KRIS LEES
$61
54kg

Sales Information

13th 13. BERKSHIRE SHADOW (GB) 5yo G
DARK ANGEL (IRE) - ANGEL VISION (IRE)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
CIARON MAHER
$17
55kg

Sales Information

14th 7. GRIFF (AUS) 4yo H
TRAPEZE ARTIST (AUS) - CHATEAU GRIFFO (AUS)
HEAVELON VAN DER HOVEN
CIARON MAHER
$51
56.5kg

Sales Information

15th 17. GLORY DAZE (IRE) 5yo G
COTAI GLORY (GB) - PIONEER ALEXANDER (IRE)
JAY FORD
CIARON MAHER
$26
53kg

Sales Information

16th 4. SKY LAB (AUS) 7yo G
REAL IMPACT (JPN) - GOLD MISSION (AUS)
ASHLEY MORGAN
PAUL PERRY
$61
57.5kg

Sales Information