What began as a working holiday has seen Darwin become a home away from home for Carl Spry.

And that is precisely how the 27-year-old Queenslander likes it after what can be described as a peripatetic career in the saddle.

Spry learned his trade with Tony Gollan, then Barry Squair in Toowoomba, and burst on to the southeast Queensland racing scene as an apprentice.

It proved a halcyon period for Spry - who at 174cm, is taller than most of his riding counterparts - winning four Toowoomba apprentice titles and twice finishing runner-up in the Brisbane metropolitan apprentice premiership.

"Adam Best beat me in a count-back and I also finished second behind Michael Rodd," Spry said. "I was very fortunate to have that grounding and ride a number of good horses during my time as an apprentice."

Spry, whose older brother Peter is also a jockey, decided to expand his horizons on coming into the senior ranks and earned a reputation for his willingness to hit the road. Evidence of that is the fact Spry has ridden in every Australian state bar Western Australia, as well as Macau and the NT, where he and partner Sarah have made their home for 15 months.

"I came up here for a bit of a break, a working holiday, but I liked the atmosphere up here and think the lifestyle suited me," Spry said.

"Riding in Darwin has been a lot easier on my body, I'm riding at 55kg here, down south you need to be 53kg if you are going to pick up a lot of good rides."

Spry, who recently came back from a month-long overseas trip, has been in hot demand with a full book of rides at Fannie Bay this afternoon and Alice Springs tomorrow.

"It's been good.

"I go up and down between Darwin and Alice as much as I can," Spry said.

Spry's partnership with trainer Louis Paech may be one for Top End punters to watch this afternoon - the pair teaming up with Desert Flare (R2, No.4), Alcarntspell (R4, No.4) and Montefalco (R5, No.5).

"The stable's going super, Louis has a good head on his shoulders and cops each day as it comes," Spry said.

"The results are starting to show, I think of his last 20 runners, he has had nine winners."

Story courtesy of Gregor Mactaggar