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By Mark Brassel

Coffs Harbour trainer Brett Dodson has a few ‘cool’ offerings for winning ticket holders in the rich $2 million Kosciuszko sweepstakes drawn on Wednesday 11 September.

The Kosciuszko is the world’s richest race for country-trained horses and every horse in the 14-horse field is nominated by a winner of the sweepstakes who then share in the prizemoney of their nominated horse.

Dodson, who has trained 353 winners, prepares a handful of gallopers with the prefix ‘Cool’ and three of those could become contenders for selection in The Kosciuszko.

Trainer Brett Dodson with his chestnut filly Cool Storm. Image by Trackside Photography

“Coolarest Farm [on the Central Coast] bred a few horses and bought a few and just like to add the ‘Cool’ to their horses’ names,” Dodson explained.

He lists big, flashy filly Cool Storm, Cool Shalaa and Cool Man as his best prospects for winning ticket holders to choose should their ticket be drawn on 11 September with ticket sales closing two days earlier.

“I have a good opinion of Cool Storm,” Dodson said. “She only raced over the 810m at her debut but ran her rivals into the ground with sustained speed.

“She was then spelled and had her first run in nearly six months when third at Newcastle [900m] but didn’t seem to handle the track.

“She was wide all the way – she then atoned by winning over the 1006m at Grafton.

“She led and it looked like they were going to pick her up, but she found another gear and drew away late.

“The filly is building momentum, and I may look at running her in a Class 3 Highway in Sydney in a few weeks’ time.

“I’m confident she will get up to 1400m and with plenty of improvement I think she may become a worthy Kosciuszko horse.”

Cool Man has only raced on three occasions: “He won his debut at Murwillumbah then found the line well at Tamworth [ran fifth] after getting well back in the field,” Dodson said.

“He’s lightly raced but learning and keeps improving and probably wants 1400m.”

The horse was unplaced at Grafton on Thursday, but Dodson had prefaced the run by saying: “We’ll keep the blinkers up our sleeve should we need to sharpen him up.”

Others with ability in the Dodson camp are Cool Shalaa who has won two of her four starts at Coffs Harbour and Tuncurry and is currently spelling.

And My Mum’s Toyboy who has a Taree win, and seconds at Coffs Harbour and Taree from just the four starts.

“He’s also a really nice horse. He should have won at Taree when beaten narrowly as the jockey dropped the reins.”

Another of Dodson’s horses, three-year-old Bretsal, looks like he will be out of the Kosciuszko equation after running third at Taree on debut before powering home to score at Lismore.

“Hong Kong is chasing him – they have made a very nice offer for him. He only has to pass the veterinary inspections and he’s gone!”

The $5 tickets in the Kosciuszko sweepstakes are available for through the TAB App, tab.com.au, local pubs and clubs and at race meetings.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Wagga, Gunnedah
Tuesday: Taree, Warren
Friday: Lismore
Saturday: Coonabarabran, Macquarie picnics (at Trangie; non-TAB)
Sunday: Muswellbrook, Sapphire Coast