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By Ray Hickson

He’s won a Kosciuszko before so trainer Brett Cavanough knows what it takes to climb that mountain and he’d like to see his 2025 runner Chidiac show at Rosehill on Saturday that she’s ready for the challenge.

Trainer Brett Cavanough (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Cavanough, now in a training partnership with his daughter Georgie, won the Kosciuszko in 2019 with It’s Me and though Chidiac doesn’t have the profile of an unbeaten horse on the rise she carries some good form into the E Group Security Handicap (1100m).

Chidiac secured a spot in the $2 million Kosciuszko through slot winner Keith Redenbach after she was an unlucky second behind Monte Supreme at Randwick three weeks ago.

The mare is a $26 chance in Kosciuszko pre-noms betting and Cavanough wants to know she’s in the game with her final lead up run.

“We’ll get an idea on how we’re going after Saturday,’’ he said.

“It’s every country trainer’s dream to get a Country Championships and Kosciuszko runner and when you’ve got one in there the pressure comes on.

“But you just keep training them like you’re going to the races every Saturday.

“She’s there to win, that’s why we are going there. She’s had a trial, race, trial, she’s wound up ready to go.”

Anna Roper will ride Chidiac, $6.50 with TAB on Wednesday, at 51kg and Cavanough has been encouraged by the form around her last start second which was confirmed when Husk, who finished third, won at Randwick last weekend.

The five-year-old has been back to the trials since that luckless run and he said from barrier one it should be the perfect scenario for Chidiac to have an easy passage early and hopefully get into the clear at the right time.

“That’s what you want to see, good form, it’s solid Saturday metropolitan form so that’s the part you really like about it,’’ he said.

“Can she win a Kosciuszko? She’s been picked, she’s in there, she’s lightly raced and sharp.

“Maybe she should have won at Randwick, the form stands up solid around her.

“She’s very fit and forward, one alley, she just needs to blow a few cobwebs out and it’s perfect conditions. She’ll be bang on for Kossie Day.”

Front Page, the Kosciuszko champ of 2022 and 2023, is the $3.50 favourite for the Everest Day feature with one slot remaining to be filled.

Meanwhile, Cavanough said he’ll give plenty of thought as to whether Zumbo takes her place in the Listed $200,000 Petaluma Heritage Stakes (1100m) from the outside barrier.

She’d be taking on the likes of Golden Slipper winner Marhoona and boom colt Beadman and Cavanough will consider whether there’s an easier option given the circumstances.

“If we drew a gate I was keen to test her. At Randwick I’d run, Rosehill I’m not sure,’’ he said.

“If I go there we’ve got to take the medicine and go back, stand them six or eight lengths, and they’re probably too sharp up front to do that.

Chidiac runs second at Randwick on September 6

“We might have to take her to the midweeks and there’s a couple of races for her after that.”

Zumbo won her first two starts and was runner-up to So Magnificent, who was selected for The Kosciuszko, at her Highway debut earlier this month.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Rose meeting at Rosehill