Starting slots in 2021 The Kosciuszko line-up are close to being finalised, just less than a month out from the big race for NSW or ACT country trained horses which will take place at Randwick on October 16 (the same day as The Everest).
Among the horses already selected by slot holders is the ruling favourite Handle The Truth, the Keith Dryden trained gelding who tackled the ever so highly competitive Group 1 The Shorts on Saturday where he finished unplaced behind the likes of Eduardo, Nature Strip and Rothfire.
Handle The Truth won the 2019 edition of The Kosciuszko when beating Victorem by a length.
The well fancied Art Cadeau and Victorem, who are currently on the next line of betting after Handle The Truth, have also both secured their respective places.
The Terry Robinson trained Art Cadeau, who won the Country Championships Final at Randwick in April, will bring a sterling record into the race. He has won his last three starts in a row and boasts an overall record of five wins and six runner-up finishes from eleven starts.
For his part, Victorem will be contesting his third The Kosciuszko having finished fifth and then second in his two previous attempts. Trainer Jenny Graham has never been shy to put the now seven-year-old gelding to the test and Victorem has always given his all whatever the task facing him has been … evidence of that being that his last two starts have been in Group 1 company in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (won by the Queensland Horse Of the Year Vega One) and the Stradbroke (won by the multiple group 1 winner Tofane).
The Geoff Duyrea trained Front Page, who is the only other runner quoted in single figures on the betting boards at this stage, has also been locked in for the race … meaning the top four fancies in the race do not have the stress of having to still wait to be selected by a slot holder.
Other confirmed runners in the race include and Edit, Nadaraja, Mister Hussill, Sunrise Ruby, Island Bay Boy, Ice In Vancouver, Plonka and Aheadofhistime.
The two remaining slots in the fourteen strong field have yet to be finalised.
*It’s Me, the Brett Cavanough trained unbeaten 2020 winner of The Kosciuszko, who made it four wins from four starts when winning the big race last year, suffered an injury setback which has, so far, kept her off the track since that prestigious win.
* The Kosciuszko is the world’s richest race for country-trained horses, carrying $1.3 million in prizemoney. Every horse in the race is nominated by winners drawn the Kosciuszko sweepstakes who will negotiate a share in the prizemoney of their nominated horse with their horse’s connections. The Kosciuszko is a 1200 metre race contested under set weights and penalties conditions on the same day as The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on Saturday 16 October 2021.
