Chief Stipe Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 Racing: NZ superstar jockey Samantha Collett leaving for Australia 20 Sep, 2021 03:31 PM4 minutes to read Samantha Collett. Photo / Trish Dunell. NZ Herald One of the superstars of New Zealand racing is leaving for Australia in a move that will shock the thoroughbred industry. Premiership-winning jockey Samantha Collett is moving to Queensland on October 16, the day she could have been riding on the last day of the Hawkes Bay carnival. Collett, who won the premiership in 2018 and has earned the nickname the Queen of the Cups for her efforts on Glory Days, Roger That and Waisake in recent seasons, says while she will almost certainly return home one day she is on an open-ended ticket. "The time is right for me to try it," Collett told the Herald. "I have achieved a lot here and love it but it is time for a new challenge. "I rode a bit in Queensland over the winter and loved it there and I made some really good contacts and had strong support even without chasing rides too much. "I am going to try and establish myself there so will be really open to taking rides anywhere. And it is warm," she smiles. Collett has been forced to leave on October 16, the last day of the Hawkes Bay carnival, after her original flight on October 19 was cancelled because of the mad scramble for MIQ spots and therefore Trans Tasman flights. "I wanted to go a few days after the carnival finished but the flight I had booked was automatically cancelled and the only one I could re-book was on the last day of the carnival. "It will be a shame to miss that but I am really looking forward to the new challenge. "It looks like I will need to go into quarantine when I get there but I will be out in time for November racing and I want to give it a real go." Collett's move is a big loss for the New Zealand jockey's ranks as not only is she is an immensely popular face in the jockey's room but a permanent fixture near the top of the premiership ladder, having finished in the top five of the premiership every season for the last five years and second to Danielle Johnson last season. Through her premiership consistency Collett's star has risen sharply in recent years but it is the big bang wins in races like the Auckland Cup with Glory Days and Roger That as well as a stellar ride on Waisake in this year's Wellington Cup that have carried her into the top echelon of New Zealand jockeys, evidenced by her 12 black type wins last season. The only riders with more black type success last term were Johnson and Opie Bosson. Collett will leave New Zealand with over 880 domestic winners in her career so far for around $16.5 million in stakes. Collett's announcement comes as one of the emerging stars of the jockey's ranks has been sidelined for the spring and most likely the summer. Apprentice Elen Nicholas had been in great form and sat second on the national premiership when she was involved in a nasty fall in the last race at Te Aroha on Sunday. That has left her with a broken leg and arm, the latter having already been operated on in Waikato Hospital. Nicholas has been riding superbly after returning from previous career-threatening injuries. "It is terrible timing but it could have been worse because she also got a knock to the head but luckily she has no head issues," says partner Shaun Phelan. "After having had to come back from a broken leg and other injuries in the last couple of years I asked her today whether she was keen to ride again and she flashed me a really dirty look so I think we can take that as a yes." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquaman Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 She will have to improve a ton if she is going to fill Kah's shoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 21 minutes ago, aquaman said: She will have to improve a ton if she is going to fill Kah's shoes. She will have to improve a ton to compete in metropolitan Brissy , she is currently riding 1 in 23 this season , from 70 rides , finished last season at worse than 1 in 10 . If she doesn't get winnners early doors she will end up at Dalby or Esk . I assume from the move , she and S McKay are over . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquaman Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Yes, I never doubted her ability to ride a horse, but what I find lacking is her ability to judge races. Tempo strategy etc. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 11 minutes ago, aquaman said: Yes, I never doubted her ability to ride a horse, but what I find lacking is her ability to judge races. Tempo strategy etc. Unfortunately in NZ she is not alone . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gospel of Judas Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Could never see what was great about her? questionable on tactics, not much ability in judging a race and looked like being used to make up the numbers. Don't see her as metro rider in Aussie, to be fair. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CrossCodes Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Gospel of Judas said: Could never see what was great about her? questionable on tactics, not much ability in judging a race and looked like being used to make up the numbers. Don't see her as metro rider in Aussie, to be fair. Have to agree. Her riding this season to be fair has been awful. Maybe a new environment might spark some change, but she will have to learn quick to ride a lot more aggressive over in Oz or she will end up on the picnic circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, CrossCodes said: Have to agree. Her riding this season to be fair has been awful. Maybe a new environment might spark some change, but she will have to learn quick to ride a lot more aggressive over in Oz or she will end up on the picnic circuit. They say she won a premiership , but geez plenty of average riders have , usually the ones that travel and ride the most pickup the premiership now . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gospel of Judas Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 1 hour ago, nomates said: They say she won a premiership , but geez plenty of average riders have , usually the ones that travel and ride the most pickup the premiership now . Not like in before 90's and early 2000's, when really meant something. Plus, the best use travel far and wide to get the wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bloggs Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 7 hours ago, nomates said: She will have to improve a ton to compete in metropolitan Brissy , she is currently riding 1 in 23 this season , from 70 rides , finished last season at worse than 1 in 10 . If she doesn't get winnners early doors she will end up at Dalby or Esk . I assume from the move , she and S McKay are over . Bridgette Grylls couldn't get rides here, she slaughtered plenty, nice girl but not a metro rider, the same for Sam unfortunately, having said that young Kate Cowan and the lass from Levin Casey Waddell have improved out of sight, mentoring has a lot to do with it, some great mentors over here.....IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 21 minutes ago, Joe Bloggs said: Bridgette Grylls couldn't get rides here, she slaughtered plenty, nice girl but not a metro rider, the same for Sam unfortunately, having said that young Kate Cowan and the lass from Levin Casey Waddell have improved out of sight, mentoring has a lot to do with it, some great mentors over here.....IMO. I seen Waddell had moved over there and watched some of her rides and she had improved but i don't see a metro rider , used to ride a couple of my horses at Levin when she was starting out , nice kid . Unfortunately the standard of mentoring here is average , from what i've seen here some apprentice's are not much better at the end of their time than when they started . Kate Cowan started off great then had a bad fall , never looked quite the same after . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bloggs Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 From what I've seen of Kate here now, all she needs is the cattle under her, if she gets the opportunities Leah Kilner's getting she would/could kick some goals....I hope she sticks at it, she needs to get away from Deagon, it's a flaming goat track, ride work at E Farm and she'll kick on. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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