It may well be a first for the Moree Racing Club to have a Group II winning jockey at Randwick Saturday turn up at their Cup meeting the day after but that's the case on Sunday.
Josh Adams recorded a deserved first Group win at Randwick on Saturday making a well-timed run to win the Group II Tramway Handicap on board the Pat Webster-trained Happy Clapper.
Adams looked to have the racing world at his feet when he won the 2010-11 Sydney Apprentices Premiership but drug issues saw him face repeated suspensions, ultimately being disqualified for 2-1/2 years due to doubts on a urine sample he provided in 2014.
Adams has worked hard in his comeback and deserved Saturday's win and hopefully the years ahead will see him go on to bigger and better things and reach the potential he showed in his apprentice days.
Clinton Payne's story on Adams, Webster and Happy Clapper is available here and is well worth a read.
Adams has a full book at Moree riding in each of the eight races with Cessnock trainer Todd Howlett providing Adams with his three best chances on the day.
Magic Ray would only have to repeat his close second at Taree last time out to be the horse to beat in the McDonalds Moree Maiden Plate (1300m).
Magic Ray still has plenty of scope for improvement at his third race start and rates as the day's best bet.
Short-course specialist Aspiring will take plenty of beating in the Moree Town Plate 950m.
Aspiring has finished runner-up in his latest two outings at Coffs Harbour and Taree and with three of his four career wins coming in the 800m-9oom distance range gets his chance to return to the winner's list over the 950m scamper on Sunday.
Hayden Boy broke through for a maiden victory at his eighth career outing last start with a strong win at Muswellbrook and looks the type that could go on with the job after a confidence boosting win in the Stephen Sparke Jeweller's Class 1 Handicap (1200m).
Adams is not without a chance in the day's feature, the Moree Cup (1400m) riding the consistent Maybe Even You for Inverell trainer Shane Edmonds.
Maybe Even You backs up after a strong finishing third at Tamworth on Tuesday and looks a value chance in the Cup down in the weights.
