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Sam Collett ended her most successful season in style on Saturday with a black type victory aboard Jochen Rindt at Rotorua.
The Waikato rider ended the 2015-16 term with 56 winners to realise a goal she had set herself 12 months previously.
“I wanted to have my best season and got there,” Collett said. “It can be difficult when you’re not attached to a big stable, but I’ve worked really hard and I hope it continues to next season now.”Collett singled out success for her father Jim at Ellerslie on Boxing Day as her most memorable moment.
“Winning the Newmarket on Red Striker was a highlight,” she said. “Riding a stakes winner for Dad was special.“Even though we won it on protest I still think I would have won if the gap hadn’t shut on me. Riding that nice filly for Donna and Chris was great as well.”
She was referring to the Logan and Gibbs-trained Astara, who she won two races aboard including the Listed Champagne Stakes in the autumn.On Saturday, Collett rode the Terry Wenn-prepared Jochen Rindt for the first time in the Listed Woods Contracting Taumarunui Gold Cup and they were untroubled to stroll to an 11 length victory.
“He did it really easily so it was a good result for everyone,” she said.