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By Ray Hickson

Trainers have embraced the new Four Pillars concept with 212 nominations for the inaugural $700,000 feature on next month’s Golden Eagle program.

One of those is Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan who has entered six horses in the hope of attracting a slot winner to select at least one to represent her in the race restricted to Midway eligible horses.

Trainer Kristen Buchanan (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The Four Pillars works like The Kosciuszko and the 18 slot winners were drawn as a second chance prize following the draw for the $1.3m country feature, the winners then select a horse to run in the race over 1500m at Rosehill and agree to a split of prizemoney with the horse’s connections.

Buchanan said the Four Pillars is an exciting addition to the calendar and an opportunity for a stable like hers to build its profile at a time when the sporting focus is on racing.

“It can showcase our stable in a feature race, obviously the prizemoney is awesome, during the spring carnival,’’ she said.

“It’s great for our owners, our horses, for our profile. I’ve just got to get one in.

“I think I’ve got a few contenders there. It’s new so it’ll be interesting to see what appeals to slot holders. The whole negotiation side of it is great and it’s a whole other element to racing that is new to me and it’s fun.”

The Four Pillars will be run as a Benchmark 68 race and Buchanan said the challenge for trainers and slot winners is to zero in on the horse that’s best suited either at the weights or where they are at in their preparation.

Of her six entries Buchanan is a big fan of lightly raced filly Fumiko, who is set to have her next start at Rosehill on October 6, but she feels each of her nominations have their own appealing qualities.

“I think she’s a filly on the up, she’s a three-year-old and she’s going to get 5kg weight relief because of that alone,’’ she said.

“It depends where your horses are at and she’s just getting into her preparation at exactly the right time to be peaking for a race like that. If I was a slot holder I’d be grabbing her with both hands.

“And Big Surprise has won three of his last seven starts and placed three times so where are you going to find a Benchmark 66 horse like that?”

While slot winners can lock in their horse at any time the field isn’t confirmed until final acceptances are taken on October 27.

All the nominations, form and replays for the Golden Eagle and Four Pillars