Given Newport's chequered recent history with jockeys, Peter Wells might have done a smart thing by making a special trip to Newcastle to partner the wily gelding in a jumpout.The pair combined to score a surprise victory in the Group One Metropolitan Handicap last spring but in his 11 runs since he has been ridden by seven different jockeys, and not without good reason.A talented stayer on his day, Newport is well and truly on the stewards' radar after twice dumping jockeys shortly after the st

Given Newport's chequered recent history with jockeys, Peter Wells might have done a smart thing by making a special trip to Newcastle to partner the wily gelding in a jumpout.

The pair combined to score a surprise victory in the Group One Metropolitan Handicap last spring but in his 11 runs since he has been ridden by seven different jockeys, and not without good reason.

A talented stayer on his day, Newport is well and truly on the stewards' radar after twice dumping jockeys shortly after the start of the Chipping Norton and Ranvet Stakes in the autumn.

There were no such shenanigans when he resumed in the Theo Marks Stakes earlier this month but he was slow to get into stride so Wells decided the gelding could use a little more practice.

"Peter came up and gave him a jump out of the barriers last week," Newport's trainer Paul Perry said.

"He went very well there, I think it was more or less just to give Peter a bit of confidence (in the horse jumping cleanly)."

Newport will line up for his second start of the season in Saturday's Group One George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

He will start one of the outsiders in the 10-horse field and Perry isn't predicting an upset victory.

But he was pleased with how Newport finished his race off first-up and is hoping to again see some positive signs heading towards the major Cups in Melbourne.

"If he gets home alright I will be happy," Perry said.

"I think he's on track for things, it's just a matter of whether he goes straight to Melbourne after Saturday or stays in Sydney.

"He's still in the Epsom and if we think he needs some more racing he could back up in that, or there is a 2000-metre race at Randwick (the Craven Plate)."

Twelve months ago Newport failed to beat a runner home in the George Main won by Mentality then backed up a week later to win the Metropolitan, although he won't defend that crown this spring.

Perry is hoping Newport can sneak into the Caulfield Cup field after being made first emergency last year and failing to gain a start.

He went on to run fifth to Gallopin in the Moonee Valley Cup and was 10th to Viewed in the Melbourne Cup after making good ground from near the tail.

"He's in the Melbourne Cup and that is probably his go," Perry said.

"He wasn't far from the placegetters last year and he got a bit of the backwash when those (three Aidan O'Brien-trained) horses dropped back.

"I thought he ran a pretty good race."

Newport has drawn barrier two for the George Main and was a $151 chance with TAB Sportsbet on Wednesday.

Racing To Win, who won the feature in 2006, was the $1.90 favourite ahead of three-year-old Onemorenomore ($4.60) and Black Piranha at $5.