The Swick Newmarket Handicap merry go round has ended with Vlad Duric landing the prize mount on the Group One winner.

Michelle Payne and Brad Rawiller had previously been named as Swick's rider in Saturday's $1 million Newmarket at Flemington before the circus ended with confirmation that Duric will have the mount.

The Bart Cummings stable believed it had Rawiller booked for the ride but he had to seek a release after Adelaide trainer Byron Cozamanis held him to a prior commitment to ride Grand Duels in the Group One sprint.

The mount on Swick was left open when booked rider Michael Rodd was suspended at Caulfield last Saturday.

Duric's prospects on Super Saturday look bright as he will also ride 2007 Caulfield Cup winner Master O'Reilly in the $1 million Australian Cup.

Duric, who leaves for a riding stint in Singapore on April 1, got the feel of Swick in an 800m jumpout on the Flemington straight course this morning where he worked against several other Newmarket runners including Burdekin Blues, Triple Honour and Duporth.

Trainer Anthony Cummings has engaged apprentice Nick Hall to ride Duporth and decided after this morning's jumpout to add blinkers to the three-year-old's gear in the Newmarket.

Cummings said Duporth, who resumed in Sydney with a fourth in the Royal Sovereign Stakes won by Youthful Jack on a wet track at Randwick, would appreciate the addition blinkers after today's hitout.

Cummings is confident Duporth is ready to produce the form that saw him win the Golden Rose at Rosehill at the start of the spring.

Duporth's training was restricted after the Golden Rose because of a muscle injury and affected his preparation for the Caulfield Guineas where he finished fourth before he was spelled.

“He's come back stronger and better. I thought his first-up run was excellent and he's a much better horse on top of the ground,” Cummings said.