Taree preview: Milligan back home after Gold Coast clean sweep

Taree trainer Glen Milligan is back home at Taree on Tuesday where he and his star apprentice Teighan Worsnop are aiming to increase their fabulous 20 per cent winning strike-rate.

Glen Milligan with his apprentice Teighan Worsnop. Photo Bradley Photos.

GLEN Milligan had a ringside seat at Saturday night’s Gold Coast meeting where two of his former string scored knockout wins, one of them in the main event.

Milligan has formed a mutually beneficial relationship with Eagle Farm trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith whom he has transferred several of his own horses too in the past, giving them a stint in the Sunshine State and saving himself a 14-hour return trip across the border.

Despite the long haul, Milligan was intent on being present at the Gold Coast on the weekend to watch two of his most recent transfers, Shihab and That’s Molly, landed betting plunges in their respective assignments.

Now it is back home and down to business for Milligan who teams up with his star apprentice Teighan Worsnop three times across the eight-race Taree card.

Monday’s interaction between the master and apprentice will take their combined runner/rides to 99.

At present, their tally of wins is 20 with a further 26 placings.

It’s that almost 50 per cent podium finish strike-rate that Milligan is naturally keen to stretch out beyond Worsnop’s imminent graduation to fully-fledged jockey.

“Teighan comes out of her time in the middle of June I think and she’s talking about going back home to Albury and we’re trying to talk her into staying here,’’ Milligan said.

“She rides well and she’s a bloody good worker.’’

Worsnop’s first ride for Milligan on Tuesday is aboard the former Victorian-housed gelding Launch Sequence which takes off in the Midge Flyscreens Country Boosted Class 1 Handicap (1007m).

Launch Sequence was originally purchased for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in 2022.

The son of Brazen Beau, was re-offered and re-sold online in April 2024, this time to Milligan for $16,000.

“He had a heap of feet problems when he came to me so I gave him six months in the paddock and he’s been good me for this whole preparation,’’ Milligan said.

“It wasn’t ideal at Coffs the other day, he was six weeks between runs, he just had a setback and probably knocked up over the 1200m.

“I would like it to be a bit further than 1000m on Monday but he was in at Port last Tuesday and they were called off.”

One of the Milligan stable’s biggest contributors, Swamp Nation, is the barn’s representative in this year’s Hannam Vale Cup (1007m), a month after her eye-catching first-up fourth at Port Macquarie.

“Ideally, she wants a bit further,’’ Milligan said.

“That was a really good run first-up she has drawn okay on Monday. Hopefully she is midfield somewhere and she can be charging late.

“She just doesn’t know how to run a bad race.”

Widden-bred Swamp Nation has the honour and distinction of having won a MNC Country Championships Qualifier in 2022 as well as taking out the coveted annual Pink Silks Cup at Coffs Harbour in 2024.

Milligan and Worsnop see out Monday’s card with the Floss’s One aiming to enhance her reputation as a Taree track specialist when she goes around for a seventh time at home in the Budgeree Holsteins Benchmark 66 Handicap (1262m).

“She is very temperamental,’’ Milligan said.

“She can be a handful to get in the gates and if you get her in, sometimes she won’t come out crash-hot like she did at Coffs Harbour.

“She got a hell of a long way back but she worked to the line well

“If she comes out clean, she can win, but you just don’t know what Floss’s One you’re going to get.’’

Originally published as Taree preview: Milligan back home after Gold Coast clean sweep