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SCONE trainer Rodney Northam will take a pair of well-bred mares to Gilgandra's TAB meeting on Saturday in an attempt to boost their value prior to them going to the breeding barn.
Four-year-old Emerge, a daughter of Golden Slipper winners Stratum and Burst, will line up in the 3D's Butchery Maiden Handicap (1000m) on the back of a last-start second at the Wean Picnics.
But with seven placings from 21 starts, including races at Kembla Grange, Gosford, Canterbury and Doomben, she is sure to start one of the favourites.
"Emerge has been placed everywhere from Canterbury to Wean but hasn't been able to crack it for that elusive win," Northam said.
"She was bought from the Magic Millions broodmare sale and will go to stud in September so I have a short amount of time to try and find the right race for her.
"First up at Wean she was probably a bit underdone, and she's not a big mare so she probably struggled with the 65kg.
"Even though she's going to TAB level on Saturday she is a speedy enough type who can put herself up on the pace and that is always a big advantage at Gilgandra."
Northam's other runner is Solar Kitty, a daughter of star stallion Northern Meteor that broke through recently over a mile at Gunnedah.
She will go around in the Chandler Hay Gilgandra Class 1 Handicap (1800m).
"Solar Kitty is related to a Group 1 performer and she will be off to the breeding barn in September as well, but the good thing with her is we have already got a win out of her," Northam said.
"She put four-and-a-half lengths on them at Gunnedah and won really well, and Robert Thompson same back and said she would be suited by more ground so the 1800m will be ideal.
"When she won she was able to be positioned forward during the race and then work into it from the 600m and she put them away, so I think this race at Gilgandra will suit her.
"The key with both these mares is to hopefully get as many wins on the board as possible. It doesn't matter where they are, but it looks better on the breeding page if the mare can win a race or two."