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Kosciuszko Beckons For Another Country Championships Hero

3 minute read

He was overlooked in 2021 but after a gutsy win in the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final, trainer Gary Colvin hopes Another One will get his chance in the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko later this year.

ANOTHER ONE winning the Newhaven Pk Ctry Champs. Final at Randwick in Australia.
ANOTHER ONE winning the Newhaven Pk Ctry Champs. Final at Randwick in Australia. Picture: Steve Hart

It didn't exactly go to Colvin's script as the four-year-old settled closer to last than first, and on the inside, but jockey Nick Heywood made the bold move to cut the corner and it paid dividends as he atoned for a close second in the $500,000 feature a year ago.

Another One is likely to have another run, in the Wagga Town Plate, next month before Colvin sets his sights on emulating what Art Cadeau achieved last year and claim the two biggest country races in the land.

"I was thinking about probably having a crack at the Town Plate at Wagga then he'll go for a spell and I hope someone picks him up for the Kosciuszko,'' Colvin said.

"We were a bit disappointed things didn't go that way (last year)."

The gelding is the only horse to win two regional Country Championships races and he's now the first to run second in a Country Championships Final and go one better the following year.

He hadn't raced since he won the Southern Districts Championships at Wagga back on February 19 and it's a credit to Colvin that he was able to win the race off a six week break on a heavy track, but the trainer modestly says the horse makes it easier.

"He's been easy to train, he's a real athlete. That's why it didn't worry me about the six week break.

"This horse has improved and matured and they were all asking me 'is he better than last year?' well I said 'I think so'. We tried him over a bit of ground and he was going alright, but I think he's a fresh horse, keep him a bit fresh."

Colvin admitted he was concerned midrace when Heywood was buried back in the field, as the plan was to be positive and ride him much closer to the speed.

But Another One ($8.50) sprinted quickly along the inside to hit the lead around 180m out and held off the flashing Commando Hunt ($9) to win by half a neck with Amulet Street ($51) a length away in third.

"It was a terrific win. I was a bit worried, he got back a bit and I'm going 'Ooohh, that wasn't our plan' but he was very relaxed before the race and I started to worry a bit,'' he said.

"I suppose it's good to have him relaxed like that for a tough 1400m but Nick was very patient on him and he made the right decision to come to the inside which worked out pretty well."

Heywood had been bullish about Another One from the start of the preparation and stuck solid with the horse even though he rode Cavalier Charles to a dominant win in the Wild Card at Scone.

While he was a little disappointed not to win last year he said he knew Another One was a better horse in 2022 and that view was vindicated.

"They always say about timing and obviously last year was the same sort of time and buffer,'' Heywood said.

"He's a better horse this prep and his work at home and everything like that has just been phenomenal. I knew he'd get through the track.

"Full credit to Gary Colvin and his team, they look after this horse like their own son and he paid off for all the owners here today."


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