Jockey Jason Collett has been happy with the 2014 Golden Slipper lead-up form of Alpha Miss and believes that the talented filly has been underrated heading into the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Connections of Alpha Miss paid the late entry fee to get her into the 2014 Golden Slipper field. Photo by: Steve Hart
Alpha Miss made her racing debut with a win in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 5 and followed that up a fortnight later with a win in the Victory Vein Plate (1000m).
After a stint in the spelling paddock, she returned to racing with a fourth place finish in the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 15 before stamping herself as a genuine Golden Slipper contender with a win in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) at Warwick Farm on March 8.
Alpha Miss was far from disgraced when third behind Earthquake and Mossfun in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 and Collett told Sky Racing HQ that the daughter of Lucky Owners deserves to be respected heading into the 2014 Golden Slipper this weekend.
“She ran third to Earthquake and Mossfun last star and she was only two lengths off them,” Collett said.
“She deserves to be right up there.
“She won the first two races early on and she seemed like just that early type.
“When she came back I had my doubts with her that she would be able to match it, but every start since she just keeps raising the bar.”
Alpha Miss has shown plenty of tactical versatility during her racing career to date and Collett, who will be riding in the Golden Slipper for the first time, believes that he will have a number of options when the two-year-old jumps from barrier nine on Saturday.
The rising hoop said that he will wait until tomorrow before he studies the 2014 Golden Slipper form and speed map, but is hopeful that he can give Alpha Miss a quiet run before giving her the opportunity to finish the race strongly.
“She just showed her last two starts that she can adapt her racing pattern; she doesn’t have to be in front, which we originally thought was the go being the early type that she was,” Collett said.
“She has a bit of variety to her now.
“I will probably wait until the night before to do the form and work out a few scenarios.
“I guess from that gate and the way she races it leaves me with a few options.
“If there is any plan in my mind it is a cuddle run, a smother and then be able to expose her late.”
Alpha Miss is currently available at 2014 Golden Slipper odds of $21; with Earthquake ($2.40) remaining a clear favourite from the well-backed Mossfun ($5).
