Chris O'Brien has welcomed his spring carnival opportunity on Stradbroke winner Sincero and is confident the gelding has returned a better horse yet again.Sincero, a winner of nine of his 13 starts including the $1 million Group One Stradbroke Handicap in June with Jason Taylor aboard, resumes in Saturday's Group Three Tramway Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.O'Brien, who has eight wins on Sincero, reunites for the raceday ride on the Stephen Farley-trained gelding after having to watch his two-run
Chris O'Brien has welcomed his spring carnival opportunity on Stradbroke winner Sincero and is confident the gelding has returned a better horse yet again.
Sincero, a winner of nine of his 13 starts including the $1 million Group One Stradbroke Handicap in June with Jason Taylor aboard, resumes in Saturday's Group Three Tramway Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.
O'Brien, who has eight wins on Sincero, reunites for the raceday ride on the Stephen Farley-trained gelding after having to watch his two-run Brisbane winter campaign from afar as he was unable to ride at the light weights.
He has ridden Sincero in track work and a pleasing barrier trial hitout ahead of his return and can't wait for the spring ahead.
"It's a big buzz to be on a horse like him," O'Brien said.
"You work seven days a week trying to find one and when you find one the hardest part then is staying on it."
The jockey returned from a recent barrier trial hitout aboard Sincero to give Farley a glowing report on Sincero's progress.
Farley is planning to have Sincero at Moonee Valley for this year's $3.5 million Cox Plate (2040m) with the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) and the Group One Yalumba Stakes (2000m) the planned path to the weight-for-age championship after the Tramway.
O'Brien says Sincero has always given the impression he will relish getting out to 2000 metres and can't fault the way the son of Umatilla has returned.
"He has improved physically again, matured a bit more," O'Brien said.
"He's ticking all the boxes, I think.
"He has rounded up across the backside and thickened up a bit more in the shoulders."
The Tramway will provide an early spring test for Sincero with a quality field expected.
Group One winner Secret Admirer will have Corey Brown aboard after regular rider Brenton Avdulla was suspended at Canterbury last week.
The Joe Pride-trained Neeson, who won the race last year, will be nearing his peak after two runs back from a long lay-off.
Sincero has won three of his four first-up starts but has never resumed at this level.
Last preparation he scored an easy five-length win first-up in heavy conditions in the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m).
"He's always gone well fresh," O'Brien said.
"He's so lightly-raced and he's got to step out against the better ones this time. Whatever he does he will improve immensely on."