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Scone trainer Rodney Northam will trek to Coonabarabran for the first time with high hopes his in form gelding Flapdoodle can complete a hat trick of wins in Monday's $24,000 Coonabarabran Cup.

“He's in form and I expect him to run a big race,” Northam said.

“He's taking on some older, more seasoned horses but he's a progressive sort of horse who I think will be even better next preparation.”

Flapdoodle, named after a legal term and raced by Scone Race Club president Noel Leckie, stepped up to 1600m for the first time when he won at Scone before winning the Krambach Cup at Taree on October 16.

Northam said the gelding had been a slow maturer and been given time to develop.

“As a young horse he was big and raw boned even though he stands over 16.2 hands,” he said. “He just took a long time to grow into himself.

"I've been really happy with him this preparation. I thought he was badly weighted with 54 kilos in the Krambach Cup yet he still managed to win.

“I've changed his routine around a bit, kept him a bit fresher this time.

“He's very clean winded for a big horse and doesn't need a lot of work.

Dubbo Cup winner and last start Coonamble Cup runner-up Tora Tora Tora and Brett Cavanough's rejuvenated Steal The Thunder, a Greg Ryan mount, look testing rivals for Flapdoodle in the Coonabarabran Cup.