Minter hopes to send Collett out a winner

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Philip Minter is hopeful Huss On First can give Group 1-winning jockey Samantha Collett a positive farewell when she heads to Dalby on Tuesday.

Collett has four rides including Huss On First in the Benchmark 70 Handicap.

The New Zealand-born Collett has announced she’s returning to her homeland after Saturday’s Queensland Oaks meeting at Eagle Farm.

It’s been almost four years since she arrived in Brisbane in October, 2021 but she feels the time is right to return to her hometown at Matamata in the Waikato region of New Zealand.

Collett won three times at the highest level across the ditch but has found it tough gaining rides in recent times in Queensland.

One of the major highlights for the 35-year-old during her Queensland stay was emulating her parents, jockeys Jim Collett and Trudy Thornton, by riding her 1,000th winner at Rockhampton in April, 2023.

Minter, a former jockey himself, knows just how tough it is being a rider and would love to give Collett a winning farewell with Huss On First who is coming off a seventh in a 1200 metre Class 4 Handicap at Ipswich on May 14.

He admits he was no champion rider before weight problems forced him out of the saddle.

“Sam has had four rides for three wins on Huss On First and I’d love to send her out a winner,” Minter said.

“It’s very disappointing to see her leave. We’ve had a lot of success with her.”

While he admits being a jockey has its downside, Minter would have loved to continue his riding career.

“It’s hard being a jockey but if I had stayed light, I would have continued to ride rather than train,” Minter said.

“Training is very hard. It’s a lot of hours and a lot of heartbreak along the way.”

Minter won an apprentice’s title on the Northern Rivers when he was a rider and was apprenticed to the late Neville Begg at one stage of his career. 

Huss On First will step up in distance to 1400 metres for the first time but has won up to 1350 metres at Warwick.

“I’m hoping she’ll handle the extra distance,” Minter said.

“She had a lot of trouble over racing early in her career, but she seems to settle a lot better nowadays.

“It’s been hard to find suitable races for her lately as we want to try her over longer.

“Long-term I’d like to qualify her for the Country Cups Challenge Final and if she can handle the extra trip on Tuesday that’s the way we’ll head with her.”