Trainer Stuart Kendrick reckons once-troubled young jockey Luke Tarrant is knuckling down and he has rewarded him with the ride on Magic Millions 2YO aspirant Fish 'N' Snitz on Saturday.
The talented Tarrant won the 2015 Magic Millions on Le Chef but has often been a wayward and lost soul, being disqualified for six months in 2016 after pleading guilty to testing positive to metabolite of cocaine.
Many in Queenland racing wondered whether he would join the stream of talented young riders whose riding careers were cut short too early.
The winners haven't exactly been flowing for Tarrant in recent times with just two winners from 69 starters so far this season, following on from his 38 winners last season.
However, Sunshine Coast-based Kendrick insists the attitude of the youngster is now where it should be and he has regularly been turning up at coast trackwork and riding as many as he can.
Kendrick will on Saturday debut his talented juvenile filly aspirant Fish 'N' Snitz, a 4.5 length winner of a Sunshine Coast trial last month, in the metropolitan meeting on the Gold Coast.
Kendrick has Magic Millions hopes for the daughter of Snitzel and he is happy to have Tarrant riding in the 900m 2YO Fillies Plate.
"I've really noticed in the last couple of months that Luke has put his head down and he has been coming and doing plenty of trackwork," Kendrick said.
"Everyone knows he has plenty of ability and I think it won't be long before he really starts getting paid off for the hard work he is doing.
"I have told my owners I have no problem having Luke on my horses. He is focused now and really ready to make a go of it."
As for Fish 'N' Snitz, Kendrick rates her ability right near the top of his crop of 15 two-year-old horses.
He concedes her trial win was in a weak field and the time was nothing to write home about, but he says the sky is the limit for the filly who he wants to get to the riches of the Magic Millions in January.
"This race on Saturday is a really good opportunity for her to have a look at the Gold Coast track, as we do have the Magic Millions in mind for her," Kendrick says.
"I would have liked her to have been in a stronger trial but she can only beat the ones she is put up against.
"Luke hardly gave her a dig in the trial so she could have spaced them by a greater margin.
"She has drawn gate two on Saturday which is ideal for her and I'm really confident she has good ability and looks to have a really nice future ahead of her."
Kendrick has aborted a potential spring carnival mission with hulking three-year-old colt Rancho Montoya who has now gone to the paddock after being narrowly beaten over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast last Saturday.
Kendrick will have Sydney runners on Saturday with four-year-old Spring Tycoon to run in the Adina Hotels Handicap (1600m) and three-year-old Coral Bay in the BRMM Handicap (1400m).
With the expansive Eagle Farm track closed until next April at the earliest, Kendrick feels Spring Tycoon and Coral Bay haven't been suited by running at tight south-east Queensland tracks such as Ipswich and Doomben.
"A big problem in Queensland racing is that if you have big-striding horses it is hard to find suitable tracks for them to run on," Kendrick said.
