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By Greg Prichard

Dubbo trainer Brett Robb is confident his four-year-old gelding Gallant Star has already done enough to attract a start in the $2 million The Kosciuszko and won’t race the horse again until three weeks before the big event.

The astute Robb has made it his priority to provide Gallant Star with what he considers to be the perfect preparation for The Kosciuszko, rather than take the option of “auditioning” for slot-holders by running in a race earlier then ideally planned.

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.

Gallant Star recently returned to Robb’s stable after a spell and he does not intend running the horse in a race until the Dubbo Cup meeting on September 29, where he would run in the Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap over 1100 metres.

Then it would be three weeks from that into The Kosciuszko - providing Gallant Star is chosen by a slot-holder.

Gallant Star has not raced since he finished second in the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final over 1400 metres at Randwick on April 6, which established the four-year-old gelding on the big stage among country-trained horses.

“I’m relying on what Gallant Star has done so far when it comes to getting a start in The Kosciuszko,” Robb said.

Gallant Star runs second in the Country Championships Final

“You would think he’s done enough to attract the interest of people who are buying tickets to try to win the slots.”

Robb said the best way for Gallant Star to attack The Kosciuszko would be to run in it relatively fresh.

“He’d go to the sprint at Dubbo without a trial and after that I believe second-up over 1200 metres at Randwick would really suit him,” Robb said.

“His best distance if he’s trained with that in mind is probably 1400, but we’ve seen how well he has raced over 1100 and 1200 in TAB Highways down in Sydney. He’s won over the 1200 at Randwick.

“He’s a real racehorse and he’s on the way up and I’ve kept the blinkers up my sleeve with him. He’s never had them on and I’d probably use that to sharpen him up a bit for The Kosciuszko.

“There’s a lot of speed in the race with horses like Front Page and also Elson Boy, which I reckon would get a spot as well, and that’ll suit him at Randwick.

“It’s a tough 1200 there and a lot of people say it’s like running 1400 at some other tracks, so that speed could really set it up for him.”

Robb said Gallant Star, which is a $26 chance with TAB to win The Kosciuszko, had come back in great order physically and with a different mentality.

“He’s filled out and when you ride him in trackwork, which I’ve done, you can feel he’s bigger and stronger,” he said.

“There’s that bit of spunk about him too, a lot more spark in his eyes. Last time in he was still a bit casual, but you can tell he thinks he’s important now.”

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