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Defending title holder Brenton Avdulla will begin his belated chase for a second Sydney riding premiership at Canterbury next Wednesday.

Avdulla is coming off a back mark after spending the first month of the season riding in Japan, allowing James McDonald, Hugh Bowman and Kerrin McEvoy to gain a considerable premiership advantage.

McDonald leads the table with 15 wins from Bowman (11) and McEvoy (11).

Not far behind are Tye Angland (8), Tim Clark (7) and Tommy Berry (7), a list that underlines the depth of the current riding ranks in Sydney and sets up an exciting premiership battle where suspensions and injuries will have a big influence on the end result.

Avdulla won the Sydney premiership for the first time last season with 92 wins, 12 clear of Blake Shinn.

He then embarked on his first extended overseas riding stint, riding under contract for a month in Japan where he made an instant impact with three winners on his first day of riding.

He ended his stay with another treble on his last day on August 26, giving him a total of 14 wins and guaranteeing he will be offered more riding stints in Japan.

Avdulla will face a busy start to his Australian return as he will follow the Canterbury meeting with rides at the Newcastle Cup meeting next Friday before heading to Melbourne to ride at Flemington the following day.

Avdulla early rides at the Flemington meeting include the unbeaten filly Smart Melody for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees.

Smart Melody maintained her unbeaten record with her third win over 1100m at last Friday’s Wyong Gold Cup meeting when she was ridden by Kerrin McEvoy.

Avdulla rode the Gooree Stud-owned filly when she bolted home at her second start at Canterbury on June 27.

Lees has two Flemington options for Smart Melody as he will nominate the 3YO for the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) for her own sex and the G2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) against the colts.

Lees is also planning to send last Saturday’s Randwick winner Reginae to Melbourne.

Reginae was an impressive winner over 1300m at Randwick after a Kembla Grange maiden win.

“Reginae is a nice filly and keeps taking the next step,” Lees said. “She can go straight to Melbourne and pursue a Thousand Guineas path.”

Lees will press on with a Princess Series program for the Frankel filly Miss Fabulass after she finished sixth in her first test in black type company in the Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.

“In hindsight I don’t think it suited her being ridden so close to the lead,” Lees said.

“Miss Fabulass has pulled up well and we will ride her more quietly on Saturday week in the Tea Rose Stakes over 1400 metres.

“I think we will see a good turnaround from her ridden that way.”