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By Ray Hickson

If trainer Rod Northam’s estimation that Spiranac has improved two lengths with her winter break is right then she could race herself into contention for The Kosciuszko at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Rod Northam

A winner of the Hunter & North West Country Championships Qualifier before finishing midfield in the Final, the five-year-old has been under the radar as far as The Kosciuszko is concerned but Northam has timed her resumption in the Vale Nini Vascotto Handicap (1100m) just a few days before ticket sales close.

Spiranac is a $15 chance in TAB’s Kosciuszko market.

“It’s not the be all and end all but it’d be nice for her to put her name out there on Saturday,’’ Northam said.

“Every time she’s come into work she’s improved a couple of lengths so I’m pretty happy that she’s done that again so if she has I’m sure she will be competitive.

“If she runs terrible then she’s off the radar for the Kosciuszko but if she runs really well hopefully she will get a slot.”

The mare has rarely let her connections down and while she’s been unplaced in two Randwick starts, including a Group 3, both those attempts were on soft 7 tracks which is ground she’s not comfortable in.

Northam said there was an added excuse for her seventh placing in the Country Championships Final but she’s had no such troubles in the lead up to Saturday.

“The track didn’t really suit her but the run was pretty good. She had tied up the week before and probably didn’t have a real good run into the race so I think that affected her as well,’’ he said.

“She didn’t really let down as I know she can in the straight. I’ve had no problems at all coming into this race and I really can’t see why she wouldn’t run a big race.”

Spiranac, $8 with TAB on Thursday for the Benchmark 78 race, has trialled once this preparation at Muswellbrook for a closing second on August 13.

Glen Boss rides the mare, with regular jockey Reece Jones not among the metropolitan riding group under the Covid restrictions, and Northam believes she’s in for her best preparation and one that could take her to black type races this season.

“She was great in the trial and she’s done well since,’’ he said.

“I’d like to be hitting the line really strongly. We’ll come out a bit negative on her, she’ll probably put herself midfield, and hopefully switch off and find the line.

“I’d like to win a Saturday race in Sydney and from there look at getting some black type.”

Spiranac runs second in a trial at Muswellbrook on August 13

The $5 tickets in The Kosciuszko sweep are on sale via TAB until 11.59pm on Tuesday with the 14 slot winners drawn on September 9.

Stablemate Moetta returns to TAB Highway (1200m) level for her fourth attempt on the back of a gutsy third at Scone a few weeks back.

While she’s drawn wide Northam said they’ll look to go forward and is adamant the five-year-old has what it takes to win a Highway so expects her to race well again.

“She hasn’t drawn great but she is very honest and her work has been good in the last week,’’ he said.

“It looks like a strong race but she has been competing in strong races. She did quite a bit of work and still hung on until the last 20m.’’

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting