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By Doug Ryan

Local trainer Glen Milligan is banking on a good run in the $29,000 Cross Family/Como Dairy Hannam Vale Cup (1600m) for filly Vicky's One in his last shot at trying to be at Royal Randwick on April 2 for the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final.

Trainer Glen Milligan

He probably needs the points for his three-year-old to grab a place in the $50,000 championships "Wild Card" race over 1400m at Scone on March 20. Overcoming that hurdle and a first or second placing in the Scone race will give him two chances in the big Final.

His three-year-old filly Swamp Nation won the Mid North Coast Qualifier over 1400 at Taree on February 20 to get into the final whereas Vicky's One was thought the best hope but had traffic problems in the qualifier to run sixth.

Milligan had Vicky's One ready to "fire" in a race at Port Macquarie on Monday to try and boost her ratings but the meeting was abandoned due to the "big wet".

"I am getting desperate to get a run with so many meetings being called off. She had a good hard hit out and has been on the walker ready to race. I don't like going up in grade but I have to," he said.

The big wet hit last year's Hannam Cup meeting with only four races being run before the meeting was called off leaving the Coopernook Hotel Hannam Cup as one of the races abandoned.

The year before the race was won by Casino Mondial, trained at Taree by Michael Byers who has since has retired, with the galloper since winning in Sydney for Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan.

Glen's father, Bob Milligan, could prove hard to beat on Tuesday as he has Walcha Cup winner six-year-old mare Valley's Sister engaged.

Glen said Valley's Sister missed a 1600m race at Gosford last week when the track was flooded and the meeting abandoned.

"She hasn't missed a beat in training and goes well at home over the distance in heavy ground.

"Her rating went up after her Walcha Cup meeting and she is getting hard to place," he added.

Trainers have had to put up with the wet causing meetings at Port, Tuncurry and Ballina being abandoned and are relying on the good prizemoney at the Manning Valley Race Club's meeting at Taree on Tuesday.

A full field for the main race will be keenly contested and with gallopers coming from different regions there should be plenty of value.

Taree trainer Ross Stitt has been pleased with the return to form of six-year-old mare But I Know which last start was a fighting third at Taree and should be suited at this stage of her comeback by the distance.

Her first two runs were over shorter distances but she has pulled up well and has had plenty of work on the walker for the race.

Port five-year-old gelding Bladnoch was an emergency for the local Qualifier at Taree but added to a win over 1500m at home with a win by nearly three lengths for trainer Greg Middleton in another race at the championships venue.

DOUG RYAN'S SELECTIONS:
RACE 1: SIPPIN SEASON 1,SEETHING ZONKEY 2,BROAD OUTLOOK 3.
RACE 2: ROCKBARTON LASS 1, WHATEVER I SAY 2, CROWN'M 3.
RACE 3: MILKA 1, CIAO BICKY 2, AUSSIE LINDBERGH 3.
RACE 4: LUSCINIA 1, DO AS YOU'RE TOLD 2, ZELBERG 3.
RACE 5: DANISH FORTUNE 1, MCNAIR 2, ESSOESS 3.
RACE 6: RAAY OF DREAMS 1, JAZZLES 2, APALALA 3.
RACE 7: VALLEY'S SISTER 1, AZARMIN 2, VICKY'S ONE 3.

All the entries, form and replays for Tuesday's Taree meeting