Melanie O'Gorman has been a part of The Kosciuszko twice but the Tamworth trainer is unlikely to have a horse in the 2021 running of the race.
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O'Gorman took Suncraze to the 2018 and 2019 editions of the race when she teamed up with winning ticket holders from the Dorrigo Hotel Punters Club.
The now-retired gelding finished second in the inaugural running of the race and O'Gorman rates it as an experience like no other.
"The atmosphere at Randwick on Everest day is second to none," O'Gorman said.
"I think it's really stamped itself as possibly our number one day of racing in NSW.
"The crowd really gets behind that big race - and the big prizemoney - and The Kosciuszko has been a wonderful spinoff from The Everest."
Suncraze was retired after the 2019 Kosciuszko following troubles with his throat.
Despite only competing in 22 races, the gelding won $585,610 in prizemoney thanks to the introduction of The Kosciuszko, The Country Championships and highway handicaps.
"I had him from the time he was a yearling. He was always based in a country stable and I think he was a fabulous candidate for this type of race and this concept," O'Gorman said.
"He started with a country trainer and finished with a country trainer.
She added: "He was a prime candidate and a fine example of how much a horse in country racing these days can achieve and just how much money they can bring home."
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As for this year's running of The Kosciuszko, it looks like O'Gorman will have to wait another 12 months to, hopefully, get another crack at the $1.3million race.
One horse came to mind when O'Gorman was asked if she had any potential runners for the race.
However, that horse - that was bought by O'Gorman as a yearling and has strong trial form - needs "a bit of time" to mature and the 2022 event looked more likely.
"I think he looks like a horse that has good potential," O'Gorman said.
On potential, O'Gorman has a team of colts in training that will head to the Magic Millions 2YOs in Training Sale in November.
Training horses for the breeze up sale is a major part of O'Gorman's business but also a "high risk process".
It paid off last year for the stable when O'Gorman topped the sale with a colt by Mikki Isle that went for $500,000.
While she knows "you don't win every year", O'Gorman said she had some good horses going to the sale this year.
"My current team consists of four nice colts which I purchased earlier this year at yearling sales. I'm halfway through their preparation," she said.
"Ultimately they'll be heading to the Magic Millions 2YOs in Training Sale in November."
Ben Jaffrey
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
