Top apprentice Jason Maskiell knows he would “only get one real chance” and says he is keen to repay the faith of his new master, Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon.

Maskiell parted ways with another Caulfield trainer, Mick Price, last week but has joined Aquanita Racing in a bid to keep his strong momentum going.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a stellar 2009/10 season, booting home 51 winners in town to have a stranglehold on the Melbourne apprentices’ title and to also sit second on the senior riders’ list behind Luke Nolen.

Maskiell said Smerdon has told him he has a “great opportunity” to realise his undoubted potential, a chance the former Tasmanian rider is keen to snap up.

“It’s great to get another chance at it,” Maskiell said. “I look at this as a new beginning to something, which I think would be a good thing.

“I don’t think I will have too many problems settling. Maybe a couple of people might turn their heads fractionally. But it was good to get a couple of winners the other day and people have put me back on.”

Maskiell said he would consider the switch to the Smerdon stable as a “wake-up call” and intends to move away from the choices which landed him in trouble at the Price camp.

“It’s really hit me now what I have done wrong and what has happened,” he said. “We can definitely overcome that and we will push on from there.

“Aquanita have got a mentoring program and other people for support which will suit me.

“Robert (Smerdon) has pretty much said I will only get one real chance and he said if I am loyal to him, he will be loyal to me.”

Maskiell will officially start work with Smerdon on Tuesday after the formalities surrounding the transfer of the youngster’s indentures are completed on Monday.

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