Racing: Top jockeys riding the comeback trail

By BARRY STREET

What a difference a week makes!

Virtually all the suspensions itemised in this column last Saturday - involving seven of our top 10 jockeys - have been served.

That means a full echelon again of senior riders for today's opening of the 2003 Wellington Cup carnival at Trentham and midsummer meeting at Ellerslie.

Better still, two other high-profile jockeys, Jim Collett and Kelly Davidson, are on comeback trails.

Collett has not been in action for eight months because of recurring knee injuries, in recent years the biggest curse of his career.

The former South Island champion, now based in Matamata, has had cartilage and ligament problems in both knees.

One operation he had last July did nothing to improve his well-being, so in November he had another that was more successful.

That enabled him to resume track riding late last month.

Throughout his inactivity Collett kept weight conscious and in good shape with plenty of swimming and gym work.

"Swimming with flippers and a knee support did wonders for my knee strength," Collett said yesterday.

"Lately I've been comfortable working six horses a day. I also rode two at the [Paeroa] trials on Tuesday, and was surprised by how well I felt.

"I expect to weigh in tomorrow at 54kg for four races and would like nothing more than to kick off with a winner. Gypsy Babe [a last-start winner at Awapuni], I suppose, would be my best chance."

Another more-important immediate target for Collett is to find another "top horse" as a regular ride.

Davidson resumed race riding this week after a three-month suspension and a three-month contract as a track rider in Japan.

Evidence of her keenness to again make a name for herself came two days ago when she travelled all the way from Cambridge to Hastings for just one ride - and that an outsider, Flag, who finished third at $4.90 a place.

A much better-performed mount for her at Ellerslie today is the Cambridge sprinter My Happiness. She is also on Bordelabode in the seventh race.