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By Greg Prichard

Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith expects to know a lot more after this week's Grafton carnival about whether his in-form four-year-old gelding Compelling Truth is worthy of attracting a start in the $2 million The Kosciuszko.

Griffith is taking the horse to Grafton in the hope of getting into the field for Wednesday's Grafton District Services Club Ramornie Handicap over 1200 metres, where he's fourth emergency, with the alternative being the Sir James Kirby Quality over 1000 metres on Thursday.

The Ramornie would be the more suitable race as a guide to Compelling Truth’s potential because it not only attracted a stronger field but is also over the same distance as The Kosciuszko.

Punters can go in the draw to have a horse run for them in The Kosciuszko by purchasing sweepstakes tickets at $5 each via TAB through agencies, the TAB app, pubs and clubs and at race meetings until September 9.

The 14 slot-holders will be drawn on September 11 and they will then be able to do a deal on a prizemoney split with the connections of eligible runners trained in the NSW country or ACT.

Compelling Truth is a horse on the up. He has won each of his last three races and has six wins and two placings from 13 career starts.

But it’s still a guess at this stage whether he can graduate to take on the best country sprinters in NSW and he is currently a $51 chance with TAB to win The Kosciuszko.

“Yes and no,” Griffith said when asked if The Kosciuszko was a target.

“We’re not sort of racing towards that, but if it happens it happens. It’s not really on the radar, but you know the race is there.

Compelling Truth wins at Dubbo on June 19

“We’re going to take him to Grafton and if he can sneak into the Ramornie with his benchmark rating we’ll likely go that way.

“It (The Kosciuszko) is a fair bit out of his grasp yet, really. It’s a lot different to racing at Dubbo.

"You’ve got to be picked in it first and he’d have to improve a fair bit to get a run.

“We’ve got to step him up first. I don’t think it’s a story for him just yet but if he wins next time out, maybe.”

Compelling Truth’s wins have been over 1000 metres (four times) and 1100 (twice) and he has shown a distinct liking for the Dubbo track, where he has five wins and a second from six starts.

His only two starts over 1200 metres have seen him finish unplaced each time, but Griffith is confident the horse will go on to prove himself over that distance.

“I don’t think 1200 will be a problem for him,” he said.

“It’s just a matter of finding the right races that are available.

“When he finished sixth in Brisbane he only got beaten a half-length. I’m confident he can run 1200 under the right circumstances.

“We’ve just got to test him. He’s not up there yet, but next start or two we’ll know which way we’re heading,

“If we get into the Ramornie that’ll tell us where he’s at in terms of handling a better grade of horse.

“He’s got to take the next step up and if he does then we’ll sort of program towards that (The Kosciuszko), but there’s no point getting carried away at this stage. There’s potential there, but we have to wait and see what he does.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Grafton meeting