Kurt Goldman has floated the concept of introducing dedicated lead-up races to the Kosciuszko to better help trainers trying to showcase their contenders for the $1.3 million feature.
The Goulburn-based horseman had two runners in last year’s race, Irish Songs (eighth) and Intuition (tenth).
Again his leading hopeful this spring, Irish Songs had to take on the likes of Classique Legend and Eduardo in the Group Two The Shorts at his final preparatory run 12 months ago due to a lack of suitable alternatives.
While Goldman says there are plenty of options for up-and-coming horses to put their name in lights via lower-grade benchmark races and Highway Handicaps, he would love to see a better pathway for the higher-rated gallopers attempting to attract the attention of Kosciuszko ticket holders.
“I had two horses in it last year and they were both highly-rated benchmark horses. At that time of year, there are no benchmark 90s or restricted races where we could run them,” Goldman said.
“Irish Songs was running in races like The Shorts, basically races where The Everest horses were going.
“It’s very hard to promote a horse to a ticket holder when the horses are only going out and running midfield, or getting beaten five or six lengths, even though they’re running behind Group One and Group Two horses.
“It would be lovely to see, perhaps a month out and maybe a fortnight out, a couple of lead-up style races where ticket holders could sit back and wait and then see those country horses that are progressing towards the Kosciuszko.”
Another of Goldman’s Kosciuszko hopefuls, emerging three-year-old Private Agent, is set to kick off his campaign in the Highway Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday – if the track improves from its heavy rating.
The pre-post favourite, Private Agent is returning from a successful wind operation and Goldman has plenty of time for the son of Nature Strip’s sire Nicconi.
“He’s hopefully on target to get a spot in the Kosciuszko, so we just want to place him right and look after him and he could be that young, progressive horse on the way up,” Goldman said.
Stablemate Safe Landing will also tackle Saturday’s Highway and heads there second-up off a lengthy break with Goldman expecting a significant improvement on his unplaced fresh effort behind Hellenism two weeks ago.
“He is pretty much ready to go now and he handles that sort of surface. He’s going quite well and even though it looks a pretty competitive Highway, I don’t think he’ll be far off them,” he said.
Intuition, an acceptor for the Elite Sand & Soil Handicap (1600m), will be scratched and saved for an assignment in Queensland next weekend when Goldman is hoping for a firmer track and better draw.
