The former Victorian galloper was deemed a spent force until trainer Melissa Harrison talked her uncle Bruce Badcock, a part-owner, into giving the horse another try.

The then trainer wanted to retire the gelding until Harrison persuaded her uncle to pay the freight north.

He said: "Take him and give it a try."

Three wins and five placings later for prizemoney around $40,000 sees Road To Summer flying in its races.

It couldn't have been more impressive last start in scoring easily at Grafton in a track record for the unusual distance of 1215m.

Harrison said Road To Summer had trained on "really good" since that win and probably deserves its big impost of 63.5kgs.

But she has engaged Coffs Harbour apprentice jockey Kaylee Kirkwood, who claims three kilos, for the ride.

She rode her master trainer Gordon Yorke's mare Pin to a just over a five lengths win at Port Macquarie on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old with 16 wins has ridden Road To Summer before for a win on the Bushland Drive track.

"She knows the horse in having won on him before at home.

"He is a jump and run individual and she suits his style of racing.

"He has been awesome and we love him," Harrison said.

Six-year-old Port mare California Rain is a big hope in this field despite its seventh at Grafton when resuming from a spell for trainer Neil Godbolt.

He was given the mare to train around Port Macquarie Cup time last year and has secured two wins with her,one when scoring in a strong field in a photo-finish at this track when fresh to the stable.

The mare has won at the track over the distance and is capable in this smallish field,especially if the track is rain-affected.

"She is a dead-set wet tracker," Godbolt said.

He believes there is still improvement to be attained in the mare but,then,he never gave her a chance when she won first up for him, even advising the owners he thought she couldn't win.

Godbolt said California Rain's racing pattern was to get back and finish on. The speed which should abound in the race could play into the mare's finishing ability.

Scone trainer Luke Griffith is hoping for an improved run from Kwila's Law to be ridden by Ben Looker who also had a win at Port on Tuesday.

"It usually takes my horse two or three runs to hit his straps and the distance of this race is better," he said.

"Now that he is older,it takes time for him to come to hand."

The return of eight-year-old Taree gelding Perlaact, trained by Greg Drury, will provide plenty of interest as he was "a find" in winning a string of races last campaign.

In 63 starts the gelding has had 10 wins and 11 placings.

Drury reports the "old fellow" is jumping out of its skin, has won at the 1257m of the Everris Australia Benchmark 60 Handicap and could surprise fresh.

Godbolt's five-year-old gelding Hard Marker probably found the 1106m too short and the track in being heavy not to his charge's liking at Port on Tuesday and it is better suited in this race after scoring here when resuming over 1250m on August 22.

He is also hoping for an improved run from four-year-old mare Flying Kistena in the Syngenta Class 2 Handicap over 1257m.

"She was never a hope last start in Grafton when she got so far back.

"For a horse which has only won two races she has been badly handicapped.

"She has paid the penalty for being consistent with placings before this preparation,"he said.