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A Group race on Golden Slipper Day is in the back of trainer Mark Newnham’s mind for lightly raced mare Sanstoc after her second-up assignment at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
The four-year-old scored an impressive first-up win two weeks ago and takes an unbeaten second-up record into the Furphy Handicap (1400m) - and it's staying at that trip that is Mark Newnham's only minor concern.
That's because he'd like to target the Group 3 Epona Stakes (1900m) on March 18.
"She's got to be able to do it staying at 1400m,'' he said.
"She might have to have a fair jump in distance to 1900m after this but she was very impressive (first-up)."
Sanstoc, $2.80 with TAB on Tuesday, made it three wins from eight starts with her Kensington win and Newnham said he's been pleased with her progress.
While he'd love the race to be over a mile he feels the race is suitable from every other angle so long as the track stays on the dry side.
"The race doesn't look any harder that's for sure and I think Warwick Farm will suit her, it tends to be a track you can chime in with momentum,'' he said.
"She'll settle in the second half of the field but with the rail true you can tend to slingshot off the corner and get to the middle and still be hard to beat.
"Even though that was a soft 5 the other day she likes better ground and her poor performances have been on wet tracks."
Mission Value has reacted positively to being gelded and Newnham sees no reason why he can't repeat his last start win in the Ranvet Handicap (1400m).
The four-year-old, who ran second to Think About It second-up, led all the way three weeks ago and carries 0.5kg less as he edges up to Benchmark 78 grade.
"His form is a lot more consistent than it was and the better the ground the better his performance,'' Newnham said.
"He did a good job getting out to 1400m last time, he'd had that one run at 1400m to toughen him up and he will run very well again."
James McDonald has been handed the keys to Amortal and Newnham hopes the champion jockey can turn the five-year-old's fortunes around in the Yarraman Park Handicap (1200m).
Newnham didn't have a jockey booked for the race and was pleasantly surprised when McDonald wasn't spoken for.
"He's at the crossroads a little bit, he's running well without getting the job done,'' Newnham said.
"The boys have ridden him well but if James is available for a horse you're looking to find out where they're at it's a good opportunity."
Amortal had seven week gap going into a fourth placing behind Miss Kojiki at Canterbury on February 17.
"The other night he was in a race where if you couldn't find the rail in running you couldn't win,'' Newnham said.
"It was a pass mark but he needs to start winning."
