However, Stitt is confident he has the right horse to finally break the drought in Single Spirit.

“I’ve been trying to win it for 35 years,” Stitt said. “I’ve run eight or nine second’s, beaten a short head two or three times.

“It’s been a bogey race for me, one of those races but I think I got a great chance to finally crack it.”

Single Spirit, a nine-time six-year-old gelding, heads into the event first-up from a 144-day spell.

Stitt has given the son of Not A Single Doubt two trials at Taree and the gelding has come through in outstanding order.

Single Spirit led in both 1000m trials winning the first by a whopping ten lengths on November 3 and the second by 1.8 lengths on November 17 without being fully extended.

“He’s had two good trials,” Stitt said. “He’s pinged the lids and run in both.

“To be honest if he runs up to his work he’ll just win. His work has been outstanding.

“He’s been back in work for about three months and has returned this time much bigger and stronger. He’s really pleased me. He’s right on track.”

To further emphasise Single Spirit’s well being experienced jockey Scott Thurlow rode him in trackwork this week.

“Scott doesn’t normally ride him but he got off and said the horse is flying,” Stitt said. “I couldn’t be happier with the way he’s going.”

Single Spirit has average first-up statistics but Stitt said those figures don’t mean a lot.

“I’ve never given him two trials first-up before. He’s very fit and ready to go,” he added. “He’s got a bit of gate speed and from the barrier (10) I think he’ll just about be leading again.”

Stitt has booked his former apprentice Matthew McGuren for the gelding who has been allotted 60kg.

“I decided to put a senior rider on,” Stitt said. “No-one is riding better than Matthew at the moment. The stint in Brisbane has really helped him riding against better class riders all the time.”

Following Thursday, Stitt said the $30,000 Inverell Cup (1400m) on January 1 was a possibility provided Single Spirit isn’t given too much weight.