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Former country sensation Paniagua will come out of retirement to make a surprise return to racing at Townsville’s Cluden Park on Friday.

Paniagua – a Frank R Edwards mount - will have his first start in 20 months when he lines up in the Open Handicap over 1400 metres.

Trainer Alex Malliff retired Paniagua after the then six-year-old finished ninth in the Mackay Cup won by the Lindsay Hatch-trained Sayl in July, 2022.

"I retired him after the Mackay Cup when he did a tendon in the off-front," Malliff said.

"It was the second time he did the same tendon but it wasn't as bad as the first."

Paniagua was enjoying 'the life of Riley' in the spelling paddock when a North Queensland cyclone turned his fortunes around.

"He was in the paddock when that big cyclone hit Townsville so I decided to move him back in the stable for safety," Malliff said.

"He loved being back in the stables and he caught the attention of my vet.

"I thought about putting him back into work and the vet said there was no reasons he couldn't race again."

Malliff said time had healed Paniagua's injury but he wasn't expecting him to win first-up.

"You can't be confident first-up after 18 months or so," Malliff said.

"But, he's a very good horse and is always very competitive.

"He's still only a seven-year-old and he's been in work since December and he's had a jump out at Mareeba on Saturday. There's no pressure on him."

Paniagua developed a cult-like following capturing the attention of racegoers around the state winning eight straight races including the Cairns Cup and Country Cups Challenge Final in Brisbane in 2020.

However, the son of Tycoon Ruler was sidelined for several months with injury for the first time after finishing second in the Laura Cup on his home track at Mareeba in June, 2021.

Paniagua spent many months rehabilitating and didn't start again for nine months when he claimed an Open Handicap at Townsville in March, 2022.

It looked like Paniagua had made a full recovery as he was placed in his next three starts but he failed at his last three appearances including the Rockhampton and Mackay Cups that year when the decision was made to retire him after he re-injured the same tendon.

Malliff has great respect for his opposition and rates the Jeffrey Caught -trained He's Xceptional as the one to beat.

He's Xceptional was a narrow winner at Townsville two starts back before finishing fifth to hot-pot Demon Award in a 1400 metre Open Handicap at Cluden Park on March 5.