Raiders captain Jarrod Croker has landed a Kosciuszko start with Goulburn galloper Intuition and will use the race to raise money for the Ricky Stuart Foundation.
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The Kurt Goldman-trained five-year-old, part-owned by Croker, will wear custom-made Raiders silks after being chosen as one of 14 horses in the race.
Post race the silks will be signed and auctioned off with proceeds given to the Foundation, while a percentage of prizemoney won would also be donated.
"He's got some pretty good form and raced in some pretty good races," Croker said.
"He [Goldman] rang me a couple of weeks ago and wanted to know what my thoughts were about getting our horse Intuition into Raiders silks, and maybe donating some money to the Ricky Stuart Foundation.
"Obvious yes from me, he had to get it cleared by Racing NSW and I spoke to a few of the guys here to get the colours organised. Stick was pretty keen with the Ricky Stuart Foundation idea, we didn't get a no from anyone which is good."
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Fourteen tickets were drawn on Wednesday for The Kosciuszko, which will be run at Royal Randwick on October 17 before the Everest.
Winning ticket holders are now able to negotiate with trainers and owners of country horses to nominate a horse to enter into the race.
Intuition has won almost half a million dollars in prizemoney, and is currently listed a $15 by TAB in the race.
"He's got good form, his last start was a Group 3 he ran two lengths off Jungle Edge on a heavy track - Viridine ran second in that race and come out and won the Group 3," Croker said.
"The start before that...he was first-up at Flemington down there and ran the quickest 400 of the day. He's a little jet. Even if we don't get a run, I think there's a race on the same day, we'll try and do the same thing with the silks and the prizemoney as well.
"We'll get it done somewhere, whether it's the Binda picnics or Royal Randwick. Fingers crossed we get a start in the big one.
"Whoever gets the ticket will own more of it than I do and there's a lot of money on offer too.
"It's a good little race, it's good for the country but it's good for Canberra. We're obviously out at Goulburn but Matty Dale [Man Of Peace] and Keith Dryden [Handle The Truth] have both got really good horses.
"It gets that little bit of a buzz around Canberra and springs in the air so hopefully they all get a run."
Last year's Kosciuszko winner Handle The Truth returned to the track last Friday with a trial win at Thoroughbred Park.
The Keith Dryden star clocked 33.4sec for the last 600m under Billy Owen, edging out Goldman's young gun Private Agent.
Handle The Truth will be given another trial next week before resuming two weeks before the Kosciuszko.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
