Herzegovina has added his name to the list of front-line candidates for The Kosciuszko (1200m), worth $1.30million, at Randwick in October.
The emerging sprinter by Vinery sire All Too Hard completed a hat-trick at Gosford on Thursday and trainer Stephen Jones is already dreaming of a start in the world’s richest race for country-trained horses.
Herzegovina (3g All Too Hard – Yugoslavia by More Than Ready) has shown rapid improvement since being gelded late last year. He returned from a spell in June and was a dominant winner at Dubbo and Muswellbrook before an ultra-impressive performance in putting paid to his opposition at Gosford.
He firmed into $15 for The Kosciuszko as the hype continues to build around the homebred from Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud. “He’s a real progressive type and is now stronger and mentally more mature,” Jones commented. “He was a bit hard to handle as a colt but was always a very enthusiastic worker.
“He’s more tractable this time in and is very impressive in everything he’s done. He’s a Kosciuszko type long-term and we will look at a TAB Highway Hcp for his next start.”
Herzegovina is from the immediate family of Group 1 filly Danelagh (Blue Diamond Stakes) and her Group 1 winning descendants Vengeance Of Rain (Hong Kong Horse of the Year), Dizelle (AJC Oaks) and Pinot (VRC Oaks).
Fellow Vinery sire Pluck is double-handed in pre-post markets for The Kosciuszko. His last-start Ramornie Hcp LR runner-up Star Boy is at $11 while 2018 Kosciuszko placegetter Awesome Pluck has opened at $13.
