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By Ray Hickson

There’s no shortage of people attached to the Plonka camp willing to hand him a slot in the Kosciuszko if they draw a winning ticket but trainer Warren Gavenlock isn’t resting on any laurels.

Warren Gavenlock and Rachael Murray celebrate Plonka's Country Championships Qualifier win.

The Country Championships placegetter will be out to put his Kosciuszko credentials on show in the Darley Virtual Parade Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday and the Coffs Harbour trainer is expecting a strong top four finish will be enough to have him talked about post-race.

It's less than two weeks until the deadline to buy $5 tickets in the draw, to decide the 14 slot owners for the $1.3m The Kosciuszko, and plenty have already gone into the pockets of connections.

“The owners have bought some, my wife has some, and a couple of staff members,’’ Gavenlock said.

“We use a mobile salt therapy guy and he has a syndicate together who are going to have a stab at it. The guy off the gate at Grafton loves the horse and I think he spent his wages one week on buying tickets.

“We’re trying to get ourselves a slot so that’s the idea of going down there on Saturday, we’ve just got to be lucky enough to get one.”

Plonka is a $26 chance in TAB’s pre-noms Kosciuszko market but he’s been out of sight since his close third behind Gracie Belle in the Country Championships Final, which followed an impressive win in the Grafton Qualifier in February.

Gavenlock said the preparation has been aimed at gaining a Kosciuszko slot since the Championships, where he feels the gelding was a shade unlucky not to take the major slice of the prize, and so far it’s been smooth sailing with a trial and a couple of exhibition gallops.

In race with genuine speed, he feels jockey Tim Clark will have his chance to find Plonka ($10 with TAB) a trailing spot and be strong at the finish.

“He’s drawn a good alley, he’s got a very good rider and there’s one less in the field now,’’ he said.

“He is possibly going to need the run if he does well so be it but I think he will be right at the pointy end. We never let him off the chain in the trial and he’s had a couple of nice gallops since.

“I presume we’ll be about fourth or fifth, a couple of pairs back, there’s plenty of speed inside and outside and they can cut their throat up front and we’ll get in behind and ready to let down the last 200m.

"I really feel we need to be in the top four to get us out there and appeal to someone."

Should Plonka be selected to run in the Kosciuszko, Gavenlock will give him another run to ensure he’s at his top for the October 17 feature at Randwick.

“You’re going to meet very fit and very good horses in that race so you’d want to be right on top of your game,’’ he said.

Plonka runs second in a trial at Grafton on August 17

Stablemate Serene Beauty will make the trip to Rosehill with Plonka for the TAB Highway (1400m) and Gavenlock said she’s not out of place despite being a $23 chance.

The mare ran fifth at Coffs Harbour, beaten a length, after coming from last in a 1200m Class 3 and has drawn favourably for the first time this campaign.

“I don’t think it is a very strong Highway and her last run was pretty good in a Class 3,’’ he said.

“She was blocked for a run and probably should have finished in the money.

“Her previous run at Ballina was sensational, she got back on a track where you couldn’t make ground but she did so she gets her chance at a Highway.”

The third running of the $1.3m The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Royal Randwick will be held on October 17 and the $5 tickets are on sale via TAB outlets and the TAB app until Wednesday 8 September with the 14 winners drawn a day later.

The 14 winners can then enter into a partnership with the owners of their preferred horse, effectively becoming a part-owner for the day, and agree to a split of the prizemoney.