Melody Again, a last-start winner at Group Three level, is being prepared for a first-up crack at The Kosciuszko, with her trainer Scott Singleton buoyed by his belief that she’s too classy not to get a start in the race.

“I just feel like she probably deserves a place in the field,” he said.

“It’s not like she’s just a Highway winner, she’s proven to be a bit better than that.

“But, it’s one of those things, someone either likes you or they don’t.

“She’s classy enough to be in the race.”

The $2 million The Kosciuszko will be run over 1,200 metres at Randwick on 18 October.

Punters can go in the draw to have a horse run for them by purchasing sweepstakes tickets at $5 each through the TAB app, tab.com.au, your local pub and club and at race meetings.

Ticket sales close at 11.59pm on Monday 8 September and the 14 slot-holders will be drawn at 10am on Wednesday 10 September.

They can then do a deal on a prizemoney split with the connections of eligible runners trained in the NSW country or ACT.

Numerous horses are currently “auditioning” for a start in The Kosciuszko.

They’re running in TAB Highway Handicaps and other city races in a bid to attract the interest of the eventual slot-holders.

However, since Scone-based Singleton is of the firm opinion that running Melody Again in a race before The Kosciuszko would likely be counter-productive to her chances of hitting the bullseye on her main target, he’s prepared to take the chance she might miss out.

It shouldn’t be a big risk, though, when you consider her overall form and, in particular, her recent record.

A five-year-old mare with six wins and eight placings from 22 starts, she’s recorded three of her victories over 1,200m and the other three over 1,400m.

She is regarded as a horse that is better off over 1,400m further into a preparation but cherry ripe for 1,200m first-up and she has run fast times over both distances.

In her most recent preparation, during the autumn, she had two starts for a first-up win over 1,200m at Dubbo and then the finest moment of her career when she won the Group Three Dark Jewel Classic over 1,400m at Scone.

“She’s pretty effective first-up,” Singleton said.

“She’ll go in first-up if she gets a slot and have just the one barrier trial before that. 

“To have her right for the 1,200m, this is the best preparation for her.

“I’d be pretty sure she’ll be in the right shape on the day.

“She’s a Group Three winner, she can run the 1,200 right out and over the Randwick 1,200 you need a horse you know can run it right out.”

Singleton said he was looking at galloping Melody Again between races at the Scone meeting on 26 September and then running her in a barrier trial at Newcastle on 9 October – nine days before The Kosciuszko.

“She doesn’t do it at both ends in her races,” Singleton said.

“She just gets back and sprints home, so trials don’t take too much out of her.

“The trial will just be for us to make sure she’s in order.

“I’d be pretty sure how I’ll have her before that and so far, so good.

“If she finishes off nicely in the trial that’s all I’ll be looking for.”

• Greg Pritchard

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