3 minute read
The country trainers get their chance at glory in The Kosciuszko run at Randwick on Saturday.
Handle The Truth was a top winner. Will we see a new champ in the 2020 The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday?
2020 The Kosciuszko: Nominations
2020 THE KOSCIUSZKO - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
After the success of the Everest, Racing NSW introduced a smaller version for country trained horses in the state to be known as The Kosciuszko.
To be run at Randwick by the Australian Turf Club on Everest day, it was slightly different in terms of the setup of the race.
Run over 1200m under Set Weights and Penalty conditions, The Kosciuszko was worth $1,300,000.
Like the Everest, the field was restricted in numbers (to 14 runners in 2019) but unlike the Everest, it was decided in another manner.
Punters around NSW could purchase $5 tickets from TAB accounts, venues and phone and then there was a draw in mid-September much like a Sweepstakes.
Once the 14 tickets were drawn, those people with live tickets had an option to negotiate with the actual owners of country trained horses for those horses to run for them in The Kosciuszko. They also negotiate the breakup of prizemoney.
Racing NSW could assist in the provision on information of the horses which could be allocated.
In 2019, the horses were from NSW Country and ACT areas and Group 1 winners after 31st Dec 2017 were ineligible.
Horses from all around NSW competed in the first running in 2018 with some elite horses that were stakes runners in the field. However, on a day of rain on and off, it was conducted on Heavy going.
The field for the first running of The Kosciuszko included The Monstar, Sharpe Hussler, After All That, Belflyer, Victorem, Don't Give A Damn, Suncraze, Snitz, Ruthless Agent, Fuel, O' So Hazy and Awesome Pluck.
In 2019 it went to one of those added Canberra runners. On the line, the last two Country Championships winners and the last Provincial Championships winner finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th.
The winner of The Kosciuszko in 2019 was Handle The Truth (Nash Rawiller/Keith Dryden) from Victorem and Bobbing.
