The field for next month’s Kosciuszko is beginning to take shape and although he admitted he’s not had any “serious negotations” yet, Mudgee trainer Cameron Crockett is still hopeful he might be able to snap up a slot in The Everest’s $1.3 million country cousin.
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Sharpe Hussler has always been slated as a genuine chance to turn out at Randwick on October 13 while Nictock was among those considered outsiders, and before the pair trialled at Scone on Friday he explained there has been some mild interest in both.
That may escalate a little bit now though, considering Nictock won that trial ahead of his stablemate in second.
"We've had a few little nibbles at Sharpe Hussler but no serious negotiations yet. I had a little nibble about for Nictock too, " Crockett told Sky Thoroughbred Central, before predicting both to run well in that trial.
"If we're lucky enough (to get a slot), well, so be it. Otherwise, we'll try and line-up a couple for next year.”
The Mudgee trainer did explain he’s not hanging his hat on the Kosciuszko though.
A number of the race’s 12 slots are already filled with the rest expected to be sooner rather than later, so Crockett says he has plans in place for both should they miss out.
"If Sharpe Hussler's lucky enough to get a slot he'll trial a couple of weeks out and we’d probably give him another trial then the Koscuiszko,” Crockett said.
"If he doesn't get a slot he'll go to Randwick, benchmark 88 over 1200 next week.
"Nictock will go from here to an open 1000 at [Kensington] on the long weekend.
"We've got it planned out, you've got to be a step ahead. It doesn't always come off, so you need to have a plan."
Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn has early favourite Care to Think and Snitz locked into slots, while Danny Williams’ Don’t Give A Damn and Kopi Luwak will run as well.
Wagga Wagga’s Scott Spackman has Country Championship place-getter O So Hazy in while Scone trio Brett Cavanough, Rod Northam and Mel O’Gorman have been handed slots with The Monstar, After All That and Suncraze.
News emerged on Saturday morning that Grafton sprinter Belfyer has been locked in too.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
