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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Rod Northam is banking on Spiranac’s third placing in last year’s Kosciuszko being enough to remind prospective slot holders of her ability as she won't have raced prior to Friday’s slot winner draw.

The six-year-old has been off the radar as far as The Kosciuszko is concerned as she hasn't started since last spring and only once since she chased home Art Cadeau and Handle The Truth in country racing’s biggest prize last October.

Northam said on Sky Thoroughbred Central following an exhibition gallop that she’ll be ready to trial at Newcastle on Monday and resume on Golden Rose Day.

Spiranac missed the autumn after she suffered an infection in the hind leg, when she was kicked in the paddock, just prior to returning to Northam’s stable and he’s keen for the mare to have a shot at redemption in the $2 million race at Royal Randwick on October 15.

“James (McDonald) said with a little bit more luck we probably nearly win the race,’’ Northam said of the 2021 Kosciuszko.

“We were shuffled back a pair further than we wanted to be and then in the straight when she was looking for room she wasn’t getting any room until late. She was really good last year, she’s 12 months older again and stronger.”

Her last run was in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes on November 6, beaten 2.5 lengths by Electric Girl, and prior to The Kosciuszko she took out Bathurst’s The Panorama in emphatic style.

Northam’s former apprentice Reece Jones, now based in Sydney with John O'Shea, was back on board Spiranac in a track gallop at Scone on Tuesday with stablemate Lucky Banner and the work was enough for the trainer to declare she’s on track.

Spiranac (Reece Jones), third in #TheKosciuszko in 2021, shades @rodnortham stablemate Lucky Banner (@ChelseaHillier4) in an exhibition gallop at @sconeraceclub on Tuesday, running 34 seconds for the last 600m. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/22fkud6reY

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 6, 2022

“(Reece) was really happy, it was really good to get Reece back on because he rode all her work when he was working for me,’’ Northam said.

“He said she was just normal, she picked up the other horse very easily and put a half length on it like she normally does then just idled.

“She’s pulled up good in the wind and she’s spot on. Everything has sort of gone wrong since the Kosciuszko last year but everything seems spot on at the moment.”

Spiranac was an $18 chance in TAB’s all-in Kosciuszko market with ticket sales closing at 11.59pm on Wednesday and the 14 slot winners drawn on Friday.

Meanwhile, fellow Scone trainer Luke Pepper confirmed his intention for Saturday’s impressive Highway winner Opal Ridge to contest The Kosciuszko if she is selected.

The filly, $11 in TAB’s market, was sent for a week in the paddock after her Randwick win and Pepper said it’s just to freshen up her mind after a couple of heavy track runs.

“I thought mentally it would be nice for her to go out and put her head down and just be a horse for a week,’’ he said.

“If we get chosen we will figure out a game plan into it. Whether that’s a trial into the Kosciuszko or a start we’ll see how she comes back.”

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