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By Ray Hickson

Swamp Nation is a little mare with a big heart and trainer Glen Milligan says he wouldn’t be surprised if she makes a lie of her first-up record when she returns at Grafton on Wednesday.

The four-year-old showed she’s above average with her win in the Mid North Coast Country Championships (1400m) at Taree in February and, while she wasn’t a factor in the Final, Milligan is quietly confident she’s going to be a stronger horse this season.

The XXXX Jacaranda Cup (1115m) at Grafton is the mare’s kick off point to a preparation that is going to be taken a run at a time.

“She’s never really done a real lot first-up, she normally takes a run or two to come to hand,’’ Milligan said.

“But we are happy with her, she’s done everything right and 1100m looks an ideal race for her first-up. She likes a soft track, I wouldn’t like to see it heavy.

“We’re going to play it by ear with her, she could end up going to Brisbane with Lawrie Mayfield-Smith because I don’t think she can handle carrying any more than 57-58kg. She’s not a big mare and she’s as good as we can have her.”

The form guide doesn’t show any barrier trials for Swamp Nation this time in but Milligan said that’s not unusual for the stable which relies more on the jump outs held at Taree every two to three weeks.

Swamp Nation wins the MNC Country Championships at Taree

Mikayla Weir has the ride as Milligan resisted the temptation to claim on her – she’s a horse that tends to appreciate a female rider - and he can see her being very competitive.

“She’s had two of them and she’s done plenty of work,’’ he said.

“I expect her to run a big race. I think she runs a lot better for the girls, that’s why Mikayla Weir is on her.

“We half thought about putting an apprentice on to take 3kg off her back but we’ve had more luck when the girls have ridden her.

“I expect her to be fourth or fifth parked there somewhere and hopefully she is good enough to run over them.”

Swamp Nation has won four of her 13 starts to date and depending on how she fares in her first few runs back she could be given another shot at the Country Championships.

The Championships are for Class 5 horses and below, with 20 or less starts, so if she was to win twice she’d be ineligible for the Mid North Coast event which moves to Tuncurry in 2023, held on February 12, for the first time.

“That’s in the back of the mind, being a bit older she might get a solid 1400m,’’ Milligan said.

“If she does go around in the Country Championships she will have a week off somewhere along the line.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Grafton meeting