The lightly-raced Miss Matari has already repaid the investment of breeder, owner and trainer Kevin Milham but she is poised to deliver further joy in the Aare Handicap at Sandown on Saturday.Milham's patience with the daughter of Danehill stallion Brackenbury paid off after he let her mature before racing her as a four-year-old this season.From only four starts she has progressed from minor placings at her first two outings in maidens on her home track of Sale to winning at Caulfield on Boxing
The lightly-raced Miss Matari has already repaid the investment of breeder, owner and trainer Kevin Milham but she is poised to deliver further joy in the Aare Handicap at Sandown on Saturday.
Milham's patience with the daughter of Danehill stallion Brackenbury paid off after he let her mature before racing her as a four-year-old this season.
From only four starts she has progressed from minor placings at her first two outings in maidens on her home track of Sale to winning at Caulfield on Boxing Day and also placing at Listed level there earlier this month.
"It's like an orange. There is only a certain amount of juice in them and you may as well get it while you can," said Milham, a farrier from Foxton in New Zealand who moved to Victoria 27 years ago and settled at Sale.
Milham, who was also a dairy farmer for many years, still combines working as a farrier and training a small team of horses and Miss Matari is one of his success stories.
"She has done a great job. She has won me a lot of money and it doesn't matter if she doesn't win me another one because she's got black type already and I'm laughing," he said of the mare who has won almost $60,000 in prizemoney.
Miss Matari is a three-quarter sister to Milham's handy sprinter Candy Man whose seven wins included one at Sandown in 2006 and the 2007 Sale Quality.
Her dam Blonde Melody is a full-sister to Candy Man's dam Summer Alert who won six races for Milham including the 1996 Sale Cup at 50-1.
"Miss Matari could eyeball him (Candy Man) as a young horse so she has always had it. It was just a matter of waiting for her to grow up," Milham said.
"Now as a four-year-old she's the perfect horse. She's sound and happy and has a couple of years of racing ahead of her.
"I haven't had an offer for her yet. I thought I might."
In-form apprentice Jason Maskiell has been booked to ride Miss Matari in the 1300m event replacing Darren Gauci who rode her into third place behind Beltrois in the L T Cleary Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 9.
At her previous outing she scored an upset win at 30-1 over subsequent Caulfield winner Valentine Miss over 1200m when she resumed at Caulfield on December 26.