A Jamaican musher has revealed his excitement at working with Iditarod competitor Lance Mackey’s sled dogs.

Oswald ‘Newton’ Marshall told KTVA 11 he has missed zipping across ice and snow during the last three months in the Caribbean nation, adding he was looking forward to collaborating with the canines.

Mackey, who is a three-time winner of the Alaskan event, has taken Marshall under his wing ahead of a warm-up race at the Gin Gin 200 on December 31st 2009.

"I’m ready to get right to work training with Lance’s dogs," Marshall told the news provider.

The pair are also planning to appear at Yukon Quest in February, with Marshall recently appearing in a documentary that has charted his two-year progress.

With the Iditarod kicking off on March 6th 2010, they have over three months to gear up for the gruelling race, which takes place over 1,150 miles of ice and snow between Anchorage and Nome.