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Miss Seton Sands can book her passage north for the biggest test of her fledgling career with another bold performance on Saturday.
The winner of five of her 11 starts, she will be on trial for a crack at the country’s leading sprinters in the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph.
“She’ll go to Dunedin on Boxing Day and as long as we’re happy with her after that she will go on to the Telegraph,” Rangiora trainer Steven Woodsford said.Miss Seton Sands warmed up for the Listed Hazlett Stakes at Wingatui with a 900 metre trial win at Motukarara last week.
“She’s doing well and she is the sort of horse that needs a bit of galloping,” Woodsford said.Miss Seton Sands finished third in the Gr.3 Stewards’ Stakes at Riccarton last time out after filling the same position in the Listed Pegasus Stakes during the cup carnival.
“She’s been pretty solid all the way through in good company,” Woodsford said. “I think she’s got a big future.”Miss Seton Sands has now assumed the role as the stable’s flag bearer following the retirement of the talented Black Stockings.
“We never saw the best of her, but she was a good mare to us and lifted our profile,” Woodsford said.Black Stockings suffered a recurrence of a tendon injury when she tailed the field home in last month’s Gr.3 New Zealand Cup.
Tthe seven-year-old won six races from 25 starts and earned black type when she was third in the Listed Spring Classic at Riccarton.However, her career-best performance was her fifth placing, after a chequered run, behind Who Shot Thebarman in last year’s Gr.1 Auckland Cup.