A couple of Queanbeyan garbage truck drivers were among a group of friends and family that struck gold in The Kosciuszko sweepstakes.
The large group pooled their resources and purchased around 100 tickets in the sweepstakes to try and snare a horse in the richest country race in the world.
They were not only successful being drawn as one of the lucky 14 sweepstakes winners, but they also selected the correct horse to win the race, namely the big fellow Front Page.
John Hurley’s syndicate comprised Michelle Winter, Jack Hurley, Kayla Hurley, Mark Dorman, Andrew Dorman, Kim Mulligan, Wayne Kaye, Jim Cullen, Brian Cannan and Mark Laing – all either family or social connections.
Front Page, who was trained at Corowa by Geoff Duryea, led all the way in the 1200m sprint in 2022 before a crowd of 46,000 to provide Hurley and his crew an Everest Day moment they’ll never forget.
Hurley, 64, said the whole experience at Royal Randwick was surreal but as he’s done for years, he was back in the garbage truck at 3am on the Monday after the Kosciuszko.
He was driving around the Australian National University area thinking about how it all happened.
“We’ve brought tickets every year but never to the extent of in 2022,” Hurley said.
“My wife and I would buy four or five each. I work with one of the guys, Kim Mulligan, and we all threw in $50.
“We had nine people, so I thought I’d throw in $50 for my son and daughter so we’d make it up to $500. It was just the right amount.
“I didn’t have a lot of hope when I put them on but I always had the philosophy of if you’ve got a ticket you’ve got a chance.
“I gave Geoff a ring about Front Page and he was pretty succinct, he said we’ll do all the hard work and you blokes can have your share.”
What’s been a staple of The Kosciuszko journey is stories of the slot winners being treated somewhat like owners by the stables of the horses they select in the lead up to the big race.
Hurley said the Duryea stable and the horse’s owners were no exception, making the syndicate feel welcome, and while they didn’t meet Front Page in the flesh until raceday, they turned up at Royal Randwick confident everything had been done to ensure the horse was ready.
“I met Geoff at the races, he’s a nice fellow and his family is very nice,” he said.
“His wife Maureen kept us informed with his trackwork, his jump outs and how he was going. I’d share the information with everyone else and it was pretty easy.
“The first time I saw him was in the Theatre Of The Horse. A couple of the boys went to have a look at him at the stalls, they were a little bit nervous.”
Nobody expected Front Page to lead the Kosciuszko and while he ran the race at a solid tempo there weren’t too many anxious moments as apprentice Tyler Schiller urged him home first.
“I was worried he might get tired towards the end, but he had that little extra kick which was enough to get him home,” Hurleys said.
“It was a good watch, we loved watching it, he looked like the winner the whole way. I don’t think they could have asked for a better track, better day, better horse, a better jockey, a better syndicate.”
Hurley has been a horse owner, but Front Page was the first time he’d had an ‘interest’ in a runner at Randwick, counting wins at places like Bungendore and Gundagai as places he’d tasted victory.
BE PART OF THE EXCITEMENT BY PURCHASING YOUR OWN KOSCIUSZKO TICKETS!
If you ever dream of owning a winning horse on TAB Everest Day at Royal Randwick, The Kosciuszko is your chance to live that dream!
Time is running out to buy $5 tickets in The Kosciuszko sweepstakes with sales closing at 11:59pm on Monday, 9 September 2024.
Why not increase your chances and buy several and form a syndicate!
Winning ticket holders receive the right to pick a NSW country or ACT-trained horse to run for them in the $2 million race – and you win a share of the prizemoney they earn; what could be better than that!
The Kosciuszko is the world’s richest race for country-trained horses offers an experience like no other in front of a huge crowd on Sydney’s biggest raceday.
The race is run at Royal Randwick on Everest Day (Saturday 19 October) and it’s more than a race, it’s the social and sporting event of the season!
HOW TO ENTER:
- Members of the public can buy $5 sweepstake tickets to win one of the 14 slots for The Kosciuszko race.
- Tickets can be purchased via the TAB App, tab.com.au, Local Pub, Club and Race Meetings.
- 14 winning ticket holders will be drawn on 11 September 2024. Each winner will then select a NSW country or ACT-trained horse to race in their entry after agreeing with the horse’s owners as to how they will share the prizemoney for the race. Racing NSW can assist the winning ticket holders in identifying horses for selection.
If you have purchased a ticket from a TAB outlet, please register your details at thekosciuszko.com.au so that we can contact you if your ticket is drawn. If you have purchased your ticket via your TAB App there is no need to register here as your details are automatically registered.
*Entry open to 18+ NSW residents only.
Ticket sales close 09/09/2024 11:59pm AEST.
Visit thekosciuszko.com.au for details.
Promotion conducted by Racing NSW under NSW Permit number GOCSC/1058. See full T&C’s at thekosciuszko.com.au
Story: Mark Brassel (RNSW), Photo: Bradley Photos
