Jockey Damian Lane will make his return to race riding following a brief stint in the UK when he partners Summer Wind at Ladbrokes Park Sandown on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old last rode in Victoria at Sandown on June 4, with his last winner coming aboard Blithe Belle at Bendigo two days earlier.
Lane said although he wasn’t able to race ride in the UK he was able to maintain his fitness through riding trackwork.
“I was in the UK for a few weeks and unfortunately my visa didn’t come through to ride in races but I was able to ride work and got back Thursday and did a heap of jumpouts at Flemington Friday and trackwork on Saturday so I’m ready to go,” Lane said.
“I wasn’t going to come back until Thursday but Chris Symons was suspended on Saturday so Matty Ellerton asked me to jump on Summer Wind at Sandown and I think she’ll be a great chance so it’s definitely worth coming back a day earlier.
“I’ve given the body a good break, I’m back and hungry now and looking forward to getting back into it.”
After showing speed and finishing fourth on debut at Bendigo behind Wazzenme, Summer Wind caught the eye storming home from last to finish runner-up behind impressive debut winner Tan Tat Beauty on the polytrack at Pakenham.
Among the daughter of Stratum’s opposition in Wednesday’s $35,000 Grand Hotel Frankston Handicap (1200m) is Godolphin filly Gridelin, one of seven rides for jockey Craig Williams on the eight-race program.
Williams goes into the meeting holding a two-win advantage over Dwayne Dunn in the race for the premiership, with four metropolitan meetings left in the season.
Dunn has six rides at Sandown on Wednesday, including Winta Chiller, who lines up in the fifth race on the back of an eye-catching last-start performance.