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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Scott Collings is well aware of The Kosciuszko hype around his unbeaten galloper Mogo Magic and he’ll march towards the $2 million feature on Everest Day if the winning run continues at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Scott Collings

It’s a timely return for the three-year-old on the day the $5 tickets go on sale to the public via TAB outlets in the Kosciuszko sweepstakes and Collings would like to make a statement.

Mogo Magic was $1.85 on Wednesday to win the TAB Highway (1100m) and extend his picket fence to four, and $6 in TAB’s Kosciuszko all-in market.

“If the horse keeps progressing like he is I think he’s definitely a chance of getting in the Kosciuszko,’’ Collings said.

“He’s one of the early favourites and if he comes out and wins on Saturday he deserves his chance in a race like that later in the year.

“And if he comes out and wins more than likely his next step will be to the 1200m. He’d go into benchmark grade in the city and that will give us a guide to where we are at with him.

“Obviously there’s a chance he will get beaten one day but we will try to place him in the right race where he gets the right handicap conditions.”

Collings is keen for Mogo Magic to tick as many boxes as possible to be an attractive Kosciuszko prospect for the 14 winners of the sweepstakes draw, which takes place in early September.

Hence the plan to prove himself at the Kosciuszko trip.

Mogo Magic hasn’t raced since he ran his rivals ragged in a 1000m Highway back in February, his only run for the preparation where he easily accounted for Dollar Magic, and his recent barrier trial win at home was another gap job.

The Goulburn trainer says the gelding is a little more settled this time around and is confident he’ll get his chance from barrier three.

“It’s his first time over that 1100m, he ran 1065m at Wagga, and he’s got 60kg so getting that low draw was magnificent,’’ he said.

“He’s done everything right, he trialled super at Goulburn. Mentally I think the horse has got better, he knows what it’s all about now.

“In the three races he’s won so far he just wants to get out and get the job over and done with.

“But he’s getting better with that and we’ve done a lot of work with him working with other horses, sitting off them, with Nick Heywood riding him.”

Stablemate Master Joe doesn’t have the hype around him that Mogo Magic is attracting but Collings said he deserved his opportunity at Highway level after successive wins on his home track this time around.

Mogo Magic wins a Goulburn trial on June 5

The five-year-old faces a distance test of his own having only raced beyond 1000m once but has the advantage of a 6kg pull on the favourite – something he may need given he’ll be giving away a head start.

“I think he’s a good chance, a good top four chance,’’ Collings said.

“His record speaks for itself, he’s always very consistent, and with Amy McLucas’s claim he gets into that race really well.

“We’ll probably just have to ride him a bit quieter just to make sure he can get the trip.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting