Racing: Richard Collett aiming for a Super double

Super Strike is carrying only 53kg. Photo / Race Images

The learning curve continues for trainer Richard Collett and his two super horses at Trentham on Saturday.

The Pukekohe trainer believes both Super Pursuit (R1, No 2) and Super Strike (R5, No 7) can win their very different assignments on one of Wellington racing's richest days.

The pair both look potential open-class stars of the future but their natural ability is getting them through the grades quickly, meaning they are having to learn as they go.

This week's lesson has been travelling, with the eight-hour float trip to Wellington an important next step for horses good enough to be targeting major races around the country next season.

"Getting a trip away under their belts always helps and they have handled it well," Collett said.

"We got away nice and early, so they were down by 10am and missed the heat of the day."

An eight-hour float trip and arriving by 10am? Fair to say Collett didn't get much sleep on Thursday night but that will be worth it if either, or more preferably both, can win.

Super Strike steps into open grade in the $70,000 Anniversary Handicap, but even though it is a Group 3, it is hardly scary stuff, with only two Group 1 winners in the race, and for one of them, Sacred Elixir, that victory was over four years ago.

With only 53kg, Super Strike looks a sound each-way chance but Collett does warn he will be ridden further back than when he finished second in the Stella Artois Final at Ellerslie.

"We learned something that day, that he is better ridden patiently early, so that will be the way we go this week.

"If we get a good speed, I am sure he will find the line well and it looks a good race for him, although Sinarahma looks hard to beat."

While Super Strike drops to a low weight for his task, Super Pursuit will be asked to carry 60.5kg in the opening race of Trentham's three-Saturday carnival.

Super Pursuit was super winning at Ellerslie two starts ago but also raced handier than Collett would have liked on that same track last start, being dive-bombed by Gold Watch.

"He jumped too well for his own good last start and put himself right in the race and I think that was because of the visor blinkers he had on, so we take those off this week.

"Again, I'd like to see him settle early and come at them late and I think Trentham will suit him but he does have a decent weight to carry."

Of the pair, Super Pursuit is in the trickier situation as the genuine tempo that would allow him to settle and swoop would also make his 60.5kg harder to carry, whereas Super Strike should get a tempo to suit with The Mitigator in the race, and carrying only 53kg, he should savage the line late.

Then it is a question of class against the likes of Sinarahma, The Mitigator and Sacred Elixir, whose last-start sixth in the Rich Hill Mile was sound enough to suggest he can improve.

Jamie Richards is also seeking a double at Group 1 level with Brando (Levin Classic) and Avantage (Telegraph).

Both deserve their hot favouritism but Brando looks the better bet of the pair, as this is the race he has been set for and most of the proven 3-year-olds aren't in today's opposition.

Whereas Avantage, as wonderful as she is, still has to beat some very good horses headed by Tavi Mac, and she did race a tad one-paced second up in the Tarzino Trophy last campaign after a grinding 1200m win fresh-up, the same scenario she finds herself in on Saturday.

A counter-argument to that is she did win this race second-up last season but that was with a week longer between runs, and while she remains the horse to beat, her $1.65 price doesn't represent value.