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By Ray Hickson

Scone trainer Rodney Northam can see similarities between his major Newhaven Park Hunter & North West Country Championships hopeful Bootscooter and his 2021 winner Spiranac and he can only hope she’s just as smart.

Northam won the inaugural edition in 2015 with Voodoo Lad but it’s Spiranac that Northam can draw some parallels with.

Bootscooter is also a four-year-old and with 13 starts under her belt, for three wins, is similarly experienced to her stablemate and will also be attacking the race at Tamworth next Sunday third-up from a spell.

Trainer Rod Northam

“We mapped the Country Championships out after her run in the Grafton Guineas (in July),’’ Northam said.

“She’s a different build of mare to Spiranac but she has a similar racing pattern.

“Spiranac had won first-up and we gave her a run in a stakes race second-up then had her spot on third-up.

“She’ll sit midfield, probably a bit worse, and if she can get a bit of room in the straight she has a lethal turn of foot when she can use it.”

Spiranac trained on from the Country Championships series to run third in The Kosciuszko later in 2021 and was also selected for the rich country race in 2022, finishing sixth.

Bootscooter’s two runs back, particularly her second-up placing at Canterbury, have pleased Northam.

“She got run off her feet first-up but hit the line okay,’’ he said.

“She was asked to do a bit more at Canterbury over 1250m and she was great, she got held up at the top of the straight and attacked the line up the fence.

“I’m really happy with where she’s at, the timing is perfect.”

Northam will also nominate stablemates The Dramatist and Steplee for the Hunter & North West Country Championships.

A day prior to Tamworth, Albury will host the Southern Districts Country Championships on Saturday where jockey Danny Beasley will be making his series debut having relocated late last year to the area.

He’ll partner Participator in the $150,000 feature for trainer Tim Donnelly.

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