Racing: Exception for bonus day

No, it is not a misprint alongside Class Anarchy's name in the maiden highweight at Rotorua today.

That really is the same big-race ace Jim Collett who dropped off the radar after a recurring knee problem sank another comeback to the full-time riding ranks last August.

This time, however, Collett is adamant his low-key return to the saddle is solely a one-off assist in Ballymore Stable's 10-horse attack on the $21,000 TRAC bonus.

After riding up to six stable runners on gallop mornings for the last few weeks, it made sense for Collett to follow through when Matamata training brothers Mike and Paul Moroney needed him most.

"It's a maiden highweight, I know the horse and she's had problems at the barrier," said Collett, who has filled Ballymore's trackwork void since co-trainer Andrew Scott's five-month disqualification for falsifying a document.

"I wasn't intending to ride again before I started working with the Moroneys in the mornings. But on a bonus day I'm happy to make an exception."

Co-trainer Paul Moroney says Collett's input at Ballymore has been invaluable in Scott's absence.

They share similar views on their horses' progress and best placement and, most of all, Moroney says they're both getting a kick out of their caretaker titles.

Collett didn't know it earlier this week, but Moroney also has another highweight mount in mind for the former premiership winner at Tauranga in a fortnight.

Meanwhile, Moroney is hoping Collett can kick-start a plan he hatched a month back to win a bonus now the equivalent of the training cut from the Auckland Cup.

If Class Anarchy is to be one of at least three winners Ballymore needs today to snare the prize, she'll have to leave the barrier faster than last time out at Matamata.

But Moroney says the promising Zerpour filly has had several wake-up calls lately, and the step-up in distance should suit.

If Class Anarchy misses, both Moroney and Collett are confident Johnny Knoxville will put Ballymore on the bonus board in the third.

Moroney says the Dream Well 3-year-old is too smart to stay in maiden class for long, and Collett confirms the gelding's work backs up Moroney's assessment. Both rate Viaggio and Auckland Blues winning hopes, despite wide barriers.

Viaggio was trapped in the worst going at Ellerslie last time out and has course and distance form, while Auckland Blues is forward enough to upset in the progressive 1400m.

Moroney rates fresh-up 3-year-olds Prince Eiram, Love Explodes and Frothy all capable of quitting maiden class today.

They've been mixing it with recent stable winners in trackwork and the training reports back from Collett indicate Moroney's call to target this meeting is spot-on.

"I know we're going into this with a few unknowns but we've made sure all our runners are up to the mark and ready to run boldly fresh-up," says Moroney.