Racing: Comeback jockey answers call as Kiwi warrior tackles Stakes

Sir Slick is now on the Gold Coast preparing for the Hollindale Stakes. Photo / Stephen Parker.

Jockey Glen Colless has answered an SOS from veteran trainer Graeme Nicholson to partner Kiwi warrior Sir Slick in the group two Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.

Colless will make his riding comeback at Saturday's meeting following a freakish accident when his mount crashed into the outside fence after breaking down badly at Eagle Farm in February.

Two toes on the jockey's left foot were almost severed in the mishap but surgeons managed to save them after inserting pins which were removed a fortnight ago.

Colless won last year's Hollindale Stakes on Scenic Shot, who will be ridden by Damien Oliver in Saturday's 1800-metre weight-for-age feature.

He returned to riding trackwork last week and proved his fitness after riding four horses in trackwork and in five barrier trials at the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Sir Slick arrived safely at the Gold Coast yesterday following a trouble-free 12-hour float trip from Sydney, but Nicholson was desperate to find a suitable jockey after the gelding's last-start rider, apprentice Samantha Collett, had to return home to New Zealand.

Collett, 19, had her first ride in Australia in the group one Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Randwick 10 days ago when Sir Slick was trapped wide and faded to finish 17th to Vision And Power on a wet track.

Nicholson, who turns 72 in July, has been training for more than four decades and had not planned to be in Queensland this winter.

"I've never been here before and it is paradise," Nicholson said.

"The plan was to run him in the Queen Elizabeth at Randwick last Saturday and if he won he would have qualified and gone over for the Singapore Cup.

"But he didn't get a start in the Queen Elizabeth and I still don't know why.

"He was made first emergency and yet he's won six group one races and more than $1.5 million in prizemoney while some of the others in the race hadn't won one [group one event]."

Sir Slick is regarded as the people's champion in his homeland following his record of 20 wins in 94 starts.

He attempted to become the first horse in 91 years to win three successive group two Awapuni Cups (2000m) but was runner-up in a tight finish to MacO'Reilly on March 28.

Meanwhile, Melbourne trainer Mick Price has decided against sending the classy Pompeii Ruler to the Gold Coast for the Hollindale Stakes.

Price was concerned with the logistics of the trip to Queensland with Pompeii Ruler needing to return home to Melbourne straight after the Hollindale Stakes in time for a May 9 flight to Singapore.

Instead, Pompeii Ruler will now be reserved for the A$3 million Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on May 17, the same day sprint marvel Takeover Target runs in the KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m).

- AAP