The wait is finally over for jockey Shane Scriven who will be reunited with Doomben Cup winner Scenic Shot for his Cox Plate campaign in Melbourne.Scriven hasn't ridden since taking a break at the end of last season but is expected to return to the saddle next week in Brisbane before partnering Scenic Shot in the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday week and Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington a fortnight later.Scriven claimed Brisbane's riding honours for the first time
The wait is finally over for jockey Shane Scriven who will be reunited with Doomben Cup winner Scenic Shot for his Cox Plate campaign in Melbourne.
Scriven hasn't ridden since taking a break at the end of last season but is expected to return to the saddle next week in Brisbane before partnering Scenic Shot in the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday week and Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington a fortnight later.
Scriven claimed Brisbane's riding honours for the first time last season and in his best ever winter carnival he teamed up with Scenic Shot to win the Group One Doomben Cup in May and also claimed the Group Two O'Shea Stakes and Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm aboard the Perth stayer.
During his holiday, Scriven's weight ballooned to 65 kilos yet he was always confident he would be in peak condition if he received the call to ride Scenic Shot in Melbourne.
Scriven returned to riding trackwork last week and in barrier trials at Eagle Farm on Tuesday and he has already shed seven kilos.
Scenic Shot's trainer Danny Morton is still in England preparing stablemate Scenic Blast for his next start in Japan but he has been in contact with Scriven to confirm his availability for the gelding's Melbourne campaign which is being aimed at Australia's weight-for-age championship, the Group One Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley next month.
"It was a bit of extra incentive when the boys rang to ask me to ride him," Scriven said.
"I was quite happy with my weight when I got home. I came back from holidays at 65 kilos and to lose 10 kilos is nothing for me."
Scenic Shot finished last in a field of six when he resumed in the Listed Farnley Stakes (1400m) at Belmont Park in Perth last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Queensland Cup winner Cape Breton has returned home with a buoyant trainer Danny Williams looking forward to his upcoming spring campaign.
Williams, based at Goulburn south of Sydney, sent 10 horses to Brisbane for the winter and Cape Breton proved to be the stable star with his Queensland Cup (3200m) success at Eagle Farm in July.
Cape Breton was given a let-up following the Queensland Cup before finishing fourth, less than one length from winner Red Ferments, in his comeback in a 1300 metre class six on the grass track at Caloundra last Sunday.
"I was over the moon with the run," Williams said.
"I didn't expect him to run that well as he'd only had one gallop and a barrier trial at Deagon after spending three weeks in the paddock."
Cape Breton will have two runs in Sydney including the Listed City Tattersall's Club Cup (2400m) at Randwick next month before heading to Victoria where connections hope he can earn a start in the Melbourne Cup.