Johnson looks for magic touch on return
until the close of racing on July 26.
Maybe Miami will have Johnson on his back in an open handicap over 1400m at Ashburton, and in the Group 3 Winter Cup on August 6.
‘‘We’re very fortunate to have him back because otherwise we were sitting here without a rider for the Winter Cup,’’ Kevin Hughes said.
Sam Wynne and Terry Moseley, who have combined to ride Maybe Miami in his last three starts, were unavailable for the Winter Cup.
A winner of 2103 races, Johnson has been aboard Maybe Miami for all of his three victories. ’’It’s great to have him back because he knows the horse so well,’’ Hughes said.
A $1.80 favourite with bookmakers, Maybe Miami will carry 59kg on a dead 6 track in a field of just six runners.
He has never carried more than 57.5kg but Hughes does not see it as a factor.
‘‘I did think about it but I don’t think that it will worry him, he’s a strong horse,’’ Hughes said.
The four-year-old son of Iffraaj was second, half a length behind Signify on a slow 9 over 1400m in his last start, also at Ashburton, in the Winter Cup trial.
Maybe Miami is still yet to run over a mile.