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By Ray Hickson

A Highway win has so far eluded Port Macquarie trainer John Sprague but he’s confident he has the right horse in First Landing to notch that breakthrough.

He says some luck in running from another wide barrier would go a long way to achieving that goal in the TAB Highway Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

First Landing had Sprague’s maiden Highway snatched from him two weeks ago when he looked the winner only to be cut down late by Shropshire Lad.

“It was a very good run, we were just unlucky. Beaten by a better one on the day,’’ he said.

“We had a wide gate and that’s what we’ve got again.”

The rising five-year-old drew 12 of 13, and travelled three wide with cover, when he finished second over the 1100m and Sprague felt he was a sitting shot when he hit the front at the 200m just as the winner peeled off his back.

He’s come up with gate 14 in a 22 horse Highway field that includes six emergencies but Sprague says the prospect of a wet track is in his favour.

He was encouraged by how the gelding fought on when the challenge came last start, and even more encouraged by jockey Zac Lloyd wanting to stick with him.

First Landing runs second at Rosehill on July 19

“Zac’s manager messaged me straight after the race and asked for the next ride,’’ Sprague said.

“I didn’t contact him until later in the week and he said he didn’t hear from us so took another ride but he rang up and got off that one.

“It’s encouraging, it’s just a bummer we can’t draw a barrier.”

Sprague picked up First Landing out of the Hawkes stable with a record of five unplaced runs and was hopeful more than confident he'd bring out the best in the horse.

But he was an instant success scoring first-up at Newcastle in early June on a heavy track and backed it up in a Class 1 on his home track.

A second behind Storm The Ramparts in Benchmark 78 grade, prior to his Highway placing, confirmed to Sprague he has a capable galloper on his hands and after 20 runners without success at Highway level he’d like to break that duck.

“I’ve had horses for a long time and I finally might have scored one out of luck,’’ he said.

“We’re trying to do the best by the horse because we think we might have a handy one.

"You can’t improve on John Hawkes, he knows what he’s doing.

“Hopefully he can do it for us. All of a sudden one has clicked and I look like I might have a chance of winning a Highway. I thought I might have had it the other day.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting