If plucky mare Swamp Nation can defend her Country Championships crown at Tuncurry on Sunday it would mean the world to trainer Glen Milligan.

Just days after he farewelled his father, popular trainer Bob Milligan, the Taree trainer said it would be a fitting result if the four-year-old could hand the family a third straight $150,000 Newhaven Park Mid North Coast Country Championships (1400m) win.

Bob Milligan prepared Charmmebaby to win the race, run at Scone due to a washout, in 2021 while Swamp Nation gave Glen Milligan his first Championships win when she scored at home in 2022.

And, if she is successful Swamp Nation would be the first Mid North Coast horse to win two Country Championships.

"I'd been talking about it to dad before be passed,'' Milligan said.

"I said it'd be good to go back to back to back I suppose it would be. He'd be looking down on us and hopefully she can do us all proud.

"I honestly think she is one of the best chances. There are probably four or five really good chances and the rest are an even lot."

Swamp Nation, $6 with TAB on Saturday, started her Championships campaign back in early November and Milligan said the mare is responding to being sparingly raced.

So it's been just over a month since her impressive win in the Pink Silks Cup (1213) at Coffs Harbour back on January 8 where she easily accounted for subsequent Queen Of The North winner Boncassie.

"She's going well and she's probably the only horse in the race that's won an open handicap,'' he said.

"Coffs has been her best win to date. We put the tongue tie on, I reckon she choked down when she went to Sydney (two starts back).

"I think she races better with her runs spaced and that's why we are five weeks between runs. We pulled her out of Rosehill about a fortnight ago and we gave her a 1000m trial at home, we thought that was a better option."

While she is already a 1400m winner, Milligan said there is still a small concern over her effectiveness at the trip – perhaps she'll get an extra push from above – so he hopes the speed is on to enable Louise Day to ride her to have the last shot.

"I think she is better off a hot tempo where she can settle and have the last crack at them like she did at Coffs Harbour,'' he said.

"Mikayla (Weir) said she'd have no trouble running the 1400m but unfortunately for Mikayla she elected to ride my other horse My One and she's an emergency."

Away from the Championships, Milligan is hoping Stratum Chief can wind up his campaign on a positive note in the Bellevue Hotel Handicap (1200m) after his last run at Taree was basically a non-event.

"He was disappointing but he drew badly and went back whereas his previous runs he's gone forward,'' he said.

"He's probably at the end of his prep, he has a better draw, but mentally he's not there yet."

Flash Point is a six-year-old mare with 27 starts under her belt and will be having her fifth start for Milligan in the Club Forster Handicap (1000m).

He said despite her experience she's proving a bit tricky to work out but is being very forgiving of her battling fifth at Taree a couple of weeks ago.

"She's been working well and I just haven't found the key to her yet and how to ride her right,'' he said.

"Last start they just went too hard in front. She should get the gun run from the draw, fourth or fifth, and hopefully she can finish better."

Killzy is also nearing the end of his prep but Milligan is hoping for a bit more luck with the three-year-old in the Mid Coast Automotive Handicap (1600m).

He concedes luck will be required from a wide gate and is adamant he's racing better than it shows on paper.

"He should have won three runs back at Taree, he was wide the trip, then he had to go further back from the alley at Tamworth than we wanted,'' he said.

"The other day he was a little disappointing but Mikayla said he wouldn't go between runners so we've changed a few things around."