Kiwi hoop Brett Murray has linked up with the Cairns father-and-son training partnership of Trevor and Peter Rowe for an initial three-month stint in the tropics.
With the likes of boom sprinter Smart Image in their barn, the Rowes are eager for a big carnival period of the year.
Murray has twice won at black-type level in NZ – coming in Listed races – over the last four seasons.
He has almost a ton of winners to his name after kicking off his career around a decade ago.
With stable apprentice Krysten Swaffer to take a short break from race riding, the Rowes believe Murray's skills will be vital for their stable over the coming busy months.
"He reached out to us as we were looking for more riders up here," co-trainer Peter said.
"We have got a big team in work at the moment so there will be plenty of opportunities for him.
"He was keen to come over and a change of scenery as he was not getting as many rides as he used to back in New Zealand.
"He thought a change over here might be just what he needs.
"He was struggling to get rides as he felt the trainers over there were giving more rides to apprentices."
Murray was initially set to make his North Queensland debut on Tuesday afternoon at Cannon Park with eight bookings for the Rowe stable.
The 28-year-old's arrival into FNQ was delayed as storms in NZ cancelled a flight he was set to take.
While his kick-off point will be delayed in the new adventure, co-trainer Peter thinks he will be an asset across the carnival.
The Rowes are set to be active across the rich period of the year, sending horses south to Mackay this Friday for the Newmarket meeting, as well as featuring across Townsville and their home deck of Cairns.
Smart Image – who has won six from seven since arriving in Cairns – is set to be the team's flag bearer through the carnival and is expected to be competitive in all the major sprint features, including the Cleveland Bay Handicap and this Friday's Mackay Newmarket.
With 34 horses in work, Peter anticipates the stable's new rider will pick up plenty of their carnival hopefuls.
"We have got some nice ones coming in – we just picked up a new one from David Pfeiffer – and we have some other good ones for the carnival, as well," Peter said.
"Eventually once Brett settles in he will get all the good race rides for us, we are loyal and like to give the opportunities to those that ride our track work.
"We would prefer putting people that know the horses riding them in races."
As well as the speedy Smart Image, the Rowe camp also have high hopes for Koonunga Hill and Caldante, who will also face the starter on Friday in the Sugar City.
Gulf Of Lion was a strong winner at Townsville earlier this month in three-year-old grade and the gelding is likely to head to Mackay for the Whitsunday Guineas next Saturday.
Gulf Of Lion has won three of his last four.
Investor – who will start in the Class 6 Plate at Cairns on Tuesday – is another the Rowes have carnival ambitions for.
The Rowes have a massive team set to face the starter on their home track on Tuesday with Chelsea Jokic booked to take on the majority of the rides Murray was set to have before his arrival was delayed.
