TALENTED apprentice Andrew Adkins returns home with six rides at Port Macquarie today after running third on Martine for Tony McEvoy at Hawkesbury yesterday.
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He is reunited with the John Sprague trained Juste Si in the All New BMW X5M Benchmark 60 (1500m) after a luckless third over the same distance here three weeks ago at his first ride on the mare.
Juste Si sustained an injury to her near hind leg but showed her toughness when beaten only half a length.
"It was like two nail holes and quite deep and it took her while to recover," Sprague said.
"She is fine now. "She is overdue to win another race but she is on her home track which is a big advantage and racing over her pet distance."
The booking of Adkins at Hawkesbury came out of the blue although he has ridden a winner at Taree for McEvoy.
"Tony rang the other day and asked if Andrew would go to Hawkesbury for the one ride and I didn't hesitate to say yes," then apprentice's father and manager, Brett Adkins, said.
"Tony said he had been watching Andrew ride and was impressed."
Meanwhile top line gallopers Single Spirit and Road To Summer clash in the McGuigan BMW Rural Dealer Of The Year Hastings Hcp (1200m) as they prepare for their winter campaigns.
And both might be headed in the same direction, to the $80,000 Tamworth Cup (1400m) on April 26. That race is the definite target for Single Spirit while Melissa Harrison is still weighing up her options with Road To Summer with the cup as one of them.
Single Spirit, to be ridden by 4kgs claiming apprentice Jesse Graham, is resuming from a spell while 3kg claiming apprentice Mollie Partridge is aboard Road To Summer.
Single Spirit, the winner of the Sawtell, Casino and Dubbo cups last spring, has won first up and does have the benefit of a trial win at Taree behind him.
"He is fit and will run a big race," Stitt said.
"He has had a lot of trips to the beach and while he didn't beat anything of note in the trial it was a good win."
Road To Summer, the bold front runner that won five races in succession last preparation including one at Rosehill, has the benefit of a first up fifth in the Armidale Newmarket 11 days ago.
He did not lead after being beaten for early speed by the winner Nuclear Class but Harrison said he will be leading today.
"He does not like having to come from behind but he took a lot of benefit from that race and is a lot fitter," Harrison said.
"We still have some way to go to get him to his top though.
"He is an older horse and did so well during his break it is taking longer to get him back.
"This race will tell me where we are at with him and then I can start thinking about where to head with him.
"The Tamworth cup is an option and I am also looking at Brisbane."