Racing: Super Sam can shine in Tatt's Tiara

Coventina Bay will need to produce something special to win at the Tatt's Tiara. Photo / Race Images

It is rare the jockey running second on the national premiership would be comfortable spending a few weeks at the end of the season in Queensland instead of fighting for the title.

Then again, it is also rare for that jockey running second on the premiership to be 61 wins behind the champion-in-waiting but that is the position Sam Collett finds herself in.

Collett has had another superb season in the saddle, her 85 wins putting her three clear of Craig Grylls in the battle for second but an enormous 61 behind runaway winner Danielle Johnson.

It will be the fourth year in a row Collett has finished in the top four on the premiership and the fact she won it in 2018 means other goals now come first.

"Even if it had been closer this year I would have been happy to come here for the experience," says Collett from Brisbane.

"Having won the premiership before I have ticked that box and now I have other boxes to tick. But it didn't really matter anyway because Danielle was so far in front.

"So it worked out well."

Collett returned to New Zealand to ride at Ruakaka last week but has spent much of the last month in Queensland riding Coventina Bay in trials and to seventh on her Australian debut two weeks ago.

"It has been great experience and really good fun, not to mention the weather. I wanted to repay the owners' faith in me and also ride against all the top riders over here.

"And I have had 10 or 11 rides without riding too much trackwork for other people so it has been fun."

Coventina Bay's A$600,000 Group 1 Tatt's Tiara tomorrow will bring the Queensland adventure to an end and Collett is confident the Taranaki mare will do herself proud, with her widish draw an assist.

"Robbie [Patterson, trainer] and I wanted her to draw outside eight so barrier 11 is ideal.

"Last start, from a low barrier, I got trapped back on the inside and it wasn't the place to be but being fresh up I couldn't pull her back to get out because it would have made for a tough run in a race she was always going to need.

"She is a lot fitter now and the step up in distance helps and I think I can let her settle and get to the outside which will suit her.

"I really think she will go a big race and is a top three chance."

Collett even thinks some rain, which hasn't been Coventina Bay's friend in New Zealand, could aid her Tiara hopes as the Eagle Farm track starts the weekend a good4.

"I think she will skip over a wetter track better than some of the Aussie mares and it would help the swoopers so it couldn't bother me if we do get some rain."

Even with everything in her favour, Coventina Bay will need to produce something special to win as the Tatt's Tiara looked set to be a tasty target a few months ago but has come up stacked with genuine Group 1 horses, headlined by New Zealand-bred last-start Stradbroke winner Tofane, who is perfectly suited by the weight-for-age conditions.

Cambridge juvenile Tutukaka is the hot favourite to win the opener, an 1830m race for two-year-olds which is extremely rare.