Port Macquarie trainer John Sprague has given punters a lead-in by electing to run Juste Si at Kempsey in preference to Canterbury.

The seven-year-old mare lines up in Tuesday's West Kempsey Hotel Benchmark 65 Hcp (1450m) with Peter Graham in the saddle.

"I was going to start at Canterbury on Wednesday but the Kempsey race looks winnable," Sprague said.

"If I thought she had a good chance at Canterbury you'd imagine she would be hard to beat at Kempsey.

"She's a very consistent, very honest mare. After two runs back from a spell she's nearly spot-on."

Juste Si, who is raced by a syndicate which includes Sprague's wife Julie, was bought as a two-year-old from Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation.

She has registered seven wins and 17 placings from 47 starts.

Peter Graham has been the mare's regular rider and will again partner her at Kempsey.

"Just Si needs a senior rider," Sprague said.

"I've tried apprentices on her a couple of times but she's half too smart for them.

"You've got to get into her. If you stop on her she'll stop on you.

"She'll bludge on you as much as she can. Peter knows her well."

Juste Si resumed from a 14 week spell with a 4-3/4 length seventh on her home track on December 15 after which she suffered a foot abscess.

She showed she was nearing another win with a half length third to Pesaro and Myonerose in a 1400m Benchmark 60 handicap at Taree on January 6.