There was no Kosciuszko fairy-tale for Warwick Harper but it was a dream come true for trainer Terry Robinson on Saturday.
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As Dubbo slot winner Harper sat at the Pastoral Hotel cheering on his hope in the $1.3 million race, Patino Ruby, it was the Robinson-trained Art Cadeau stormed home to take out the world's richest race for country-trained horse.
The win completed a special double for Robinson, Art Cadeau and jockey Tommy Berry after they combined to win the $500,000 Country Championships Final earlier this year.
"It's the biggest moment of my career, there's no doubt about that," Robinson said after Saturday's win.
For Harper, it was just special to be part of such a race.
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The Brett Cavanough-trained Patino Ruby never really got the chance to get into the race, getting stuck deep in a bunched field for much of the trip before eventually finishing 11th.
"She was getting pinballed everywhere. She's a nice little horse," jockey Alysha Collett said post-race.
It had been a bumpy ride to the Kosciuszko for Harper.
He and close mate Warren Watts spent a couple of hundred dollars on Kosciuszko tickets and when his name came out on draw day they were quick to select one of the leading contenders for the race, Victorem.
Unfortunately, injury ruled out Victorem less than three weeks before the race so that caused a re-think.
They settled on the lightly-raced but exciting Patino Ruby, and while there may not have been a Kosciuszko win on Saturday Cavanough has already said he sees a bright future for the mare.
Whether she can the heights of a horse like Art Cadeau remains to be seen.
It was a fine training performance from Robinson, as his gelding hadn't raced since winning the Country Championships Final in April.
It appeared he had it all to do in the straight but Berry got the tough Art Cadeau ($4 favourite) to lift and win by a nose after a gripping battle with Handle The Truth ($7) down the straight while Spriranac ($12) was third.
"A lot of people where querying whether Terry could do it first up. He knows this horse back to front. He had a bit of work to do at the top of the straight. As I said all week we don't know how good he is," Berry said post-race.
"Every time we raise the bar he keeps jumping it. He loves to get in a bit of a battle. He beat one of those hard heads that was competing in Group races."
"He felt strong all the way through. He's got that attribute that he wants to lay on his rivals when he gets close to them. It was the perfect preparation. Not a hiccup at all."
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