"They both felt like me, ready to go," Spratt said.
Spratt last rode in New Zealand when successful on Addictive Habit, at Ellerslie on April 21.
She packed her and son Cody's bags and jetted off to England for our winter.
"I was born in England but my parents left to come to New Zealand when I was very young," she said.
"My brother, Neil, lives there and is part of the New Zealand equestrian team so it was a chance to go back and do some OE for Cody and I."
Not that Spratt just went there as a tourist.
She kept herself in racing trim by riding work for neighbouring racehorse trainers and even managed to squeeze in three race rides for two seconds.
"The opportunity was there for me to ride more races but sometimes I couldn't commit to trainers a week out because I didn't know if I'd be in England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales but, if I go back, I will be more serious about chasing race rides," she said.
Spratt was due back in August but added a couple of weeks to her trip to support her brother at the Burghley Horse Trials last weekend.
"It was great to be part of it with all the Kiwis together," she said.
"We were a close-knit group, Andrew Nicholson, Jock Paget, Mark Todd and the rest of the crew.
"Neil was 17th equal after the dressage on the first day and was going like a house on fire in the cross-country when his horse slipped and fell and Neil injured his back.
"He'll be right after some rest but it knocked him out of contention."
Back at home, Little Wonder has a recent trial under his belt to get him ready for a big race tomorrow but McKee is wary of a couple of the opposition.
"Antonio Lombardo goes so well at Ruakaka and with a four-kilo apprentice allowance will be tough to beat and likewise Albany Reunion who impressed me with his last effort at Ruakaka," McKee said.
"Still, our horse is well."
Silver City has a good record fresh and on the track.
"His latest work has been strong," he said.
McKee will also be represented by Prince Mambo in the day's feature, the $50,000, Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes, which has also attracted last season's Champion Two-Year-Old of the Year, Vespa, all the way from Otaki.
Vespa's trip north was broken by a couple of nights at McKee's stables.
"He has to be the one to beat," McKee said.
"It is a long way to come to not be a winning chance.
"But I'm pleased with Prince Mambo after his trial at Avondale recently.
"He was just beaten a neck and a head over 1000 metres on ground which was heavy."
Whangarei also hosts a two-year-old race, which will be race one, run over 880 metres.
Pukekohe-trainer Nigel Tiley holds a strong hand with his two runners Fitzroy and Showboy, who both won their trials at Avondale and have inside barrier draws tomorrow.
Spratt is looking forward to returning to racing at home and is keen to start off how she finished last season in New Zealand ... with a winner.
