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By Greg Prichard

Highly respected Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn has settled on two contenders for The Kosciuszko and is planning their next runs around making a timely impression on the winning slot-holders.

Four-year-old mare Without Parallel, a last-start winner of a TAB Highway Handicap at Rosehill, and Golden Decade, a last-start winner of an Open-class Handicap at Eagle Farm, have aroused a lot of interest in their chances.

“The Kosciuszko will be Without Parallel’s main target and I’m confident she’ll get in,” Dunn said.

“She’s certainly got the talent to warrant a spot. She’s not that different to It’s Me before that mare won The Kosciuszko. She’s hit the ground running.

“And Golden Decade’s come back better than ever. He’ll be kept to short distances and his races spaced now. He came from the back of the field to win over 1000 metres last start, beating Group Three winners. The Kosciuszko is a perfect race for him.”

The $2 million The Kosciuszko will be run over 1200 metres at Randwick on October 18.

Golden Decade is one of two horses being aimed at The Kosciuszko by Matthew Dunn (Pic: Trackside).

Punters can go in the draw to have a horse run for them in The Kosciuszko 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, September 8, and the 14 slot-holders will be drawn at 10am on Wednesday, September 10. They can then do a deal on a prizemoney split with the connections of eligible runners trained in the NSW country or ACT.

Without Parallel, which has won all four of her career starts, is a $15 chance to win The Kosciuszko with TAB. Golden Decade is at $26.

Dunn said that among his other horses Boom Torque and Tribeca Star were both spelling and were not being aimed at The Kosciuszko and Fukubana was instead being aimed at the $2 million Five Diamonds over 1800 metres at Rosehill on November 8.

He said Without Parallel would next race in either Sydney or Brisbane on Saturday, August 23, and Golden Decade’s next start would be at Doomben on September 13, just three days after the slot draw.

“Without Parallel ticked a lot of boxes with her Sydney win,” Dunn said.

“She stepped up in class, handled a bottomless heavy track - she’s won in all conditions now - and the travelling didn’t bother her. She was dominant in that race and won by five lengths.

“She’s a mare with really good speed, a wonderful attitude and a real willingness to win. The focus now is on keeping her name up in lights and getting her into The Kosciuszko and I’ve got a couple of good options for her on August 23.

“Golden Decade is a quality horse that has been under the radar a bit. He’s won eight races from 20 starts and over half-a-million dollars in prizemoney. Most of those wins have been in Brisbane and he’s also won over 1400 metres at Randwick.

“He was at big odds first-up in that race at Eagle Farm because he’d drawn a bad gate and the 1000-metre start there is tough. You just don’t win from the outside gate, but he managed to do it and he’ll be improved by that run.”

Dunn said the ownership groups behind Without Parallel and Golden Decade were the types to get involved in some serious ticket-buying for the slot draw.

“It’s always attractive to try and win a slot yourself as an owner,” he said.

“That way you get to keep all the prizemoney. But I’m sure there’s going to be interest in these two horses no matter what.”

Buy your tickets in The Kosciuszko sweepstakes here - anyone can win!