All eyes to Kosciuszko

Scheduled at Randwick on Saturday October 19, The Kosciuszko - the brainchild of Racing NSW's Peter V'landys, is restricted to country NSW trained gallopers and is among the star-studded 10 event program which includes the massive $14m race The Everest.

"Just to have a horse in such a race, and to be competitive, which naturally all the horses selected will be, is such a buzz," said Jenny Graham trainer of Victorem.

"It has all my owners excited as well and are supporting the stable even though it is not their horse (in The Kosciuszko), and now they are hoping that they may get their horse into it next year.

"That has put a real buzz around the stable, a buzz and a bit of pressure."

While Victorem was unplaced in the race last year, another talented Jenny Graham trained galloper Awesome Pluck was a late inclusion horse into last year's field due to the late scratching of Care To Think.

"He (Awesome Pluck) was lucky enough to be picked (last year); and he ran a great race for third.

"He is a nice horse and I am very happy the way he is going. Last year (The Kosciuszko) was a heavy track, but (Awesome Pluck) goes as well on a heavy track as a dry track."

Jenny said Victorem and Awesome Pluck were the best horses she had trained.

"I had not won Listed races previously until Victorem, and now Awesome Pluck - he's won in Brisbane, and has raced well locally, and was placed in last year's Kosciuszko, so most definitely they are the best horses I have had."

While Jenny trained Victorem's Foreplay dam - Playful Miss to win four races including in Sydney, she believed that when the mare's juvenile gelded son (by I Am Invincible), which came up for sale at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Ready Two Run Sale, would be out of her price-range.

However, fate intervened and Victorem landed in the Graham stable, and is raced by a number of owners including Jenny's partner Shane Conroy, and her Wauchope district farming parents Janice and Barry Avery.

The Avery's were originally dairy farmers which helped lead Jenny to participate and excel in campdrafting, showjumping and eventing in early times.

Jenny moved onto racehorse training, beginning at Wauchope before relocating and building her current stable complex in Racewyn Close adjacent to Port Macquarie racecourse about 23 years ago.

While Awesome Pluck is aimed at some Brisbane races, his Vinery Stud based sire Pluck has Star Boy to represent him, who is prepared at Scone by Brett Cavanough. Recently finishing second at Rosehill, Star Boy also finished second in Grafton's Listed sprint Ramornie Handicap last July.

Trained at Queanbeyan by Todd Blowes, Noble Boy is another fancied Kosciuszko runner. By the Bowness Stud based Bon Hoffa, he has won seven from nine races.

Another Queanbeyan galloper Up Trumpz - prepared by Joe Cleary, also has a spot in the field.

Last year's inaugural The Kosciuszko winner Belflyer will get his chance to defend his title after being nominated by a Narrabri based slot-holder, as well as a stable companion Tarbert, who are both prepared at Grafton by John Shelton.

Canberra has two runners, Keith Dryden trained Handle The Truth, and a starter from the Matt Dale yard still yet to be decided.

Bred and raced by Louis Mihalyka's Laurel Oak Bloodstock, Star Witness gelding Handle The Truth has won six races.

Major Southern Districts conditioner and regular Sydney visitor, Danny Williams will have at least one runner - Don't Give A Damn, who is another son of prolific winner-getting sire Bon Hoffa.

Bathurst will be represented with four-year-old mare Press Box, while north to Tamworth will have last year's Kosciuszko runner-up Suncraze, and the Scone trained pair Luna Mia and Bobbing.

Previously prepared at Hawkesbury, Bobbing won this year's $500,000 Provincial Championship Final in April, however his trainer Bernie Kelly has since relocated to Scone, and has successfully secured his place in the field.