COLLETT TO HEAD TO SAUDI ARABIA

Jockey Samantha Collett heading to ride in Saudi Arabia

Collett, a premiership winning jockey is set to compete against the worlds best in a points based scoring system that will crown the champion jockey.

After knocking back an offer to ride in the competition in its first year Collett revealed she is now champing at the bit to travel to Saudi Arabia and showcase her talents.

“I turned it down a few seasons ago when I was back home because I was staying to ride a horse in the Derby,” Collett said.

“With Danielle Johnson getting her opportunity, it has presented itself again, it will be pretty amazing I’d say.”

The jockey’s challenge features across 4 US$400,000 with the jockey with the most points at the end scooping an extra $30,000 bonus.

Collett will be joined by retired jockey jockey Glen Boss on the trip after he confirmed he had accepted an opportunity to travel to the middle east to ride in early December.

“I’m not too sure how it came about to be honest, Lisa Allpress went over and had some success a few years ago and she is from New Zealand so I think they were just looking for another good Kiwi,” she said.

“I’m there for the Friday (Feb 25) night at this stage but I am going to be there for five nights, I will be there for the barrier draw, the Saudi Cup and then some trackwork on the Thursday, we race the Friday and the big races over the weekend.

“Bossy is coming from here too, it is going to be awesome. I’m not too sure how it works, it is some kind of points system.

“I went to one in Japan a few seasons ago on the back of winning a premiership and it was amazing, so good, they paid us well and put on a good show and the racing was on another level.

“The whole culture thing over there is going to be interesting for sure.”

Collett is the latest name to join 8 others in confirming there attendance to ride in the competition with a further 5 runners from across the world set to be named.

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