Commando Hunt to start Kosciuszko build-up at Dubbo for Cameron Crockett

Commando Hunt was always aimed towards The Kosciuszko by Crockett and after co-owner and mayor of Mid-Western Council Des Kennedy landed one of the 14 lucky slots for the race the five-year-old gelding was quickly locked in.

Commando Hunt will return from a spell in Sunday's Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap (1100m) and Crockett is planning two more events before running in The Kosciuszko at Randwick on October 15.

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The trainer, who started out at Mudgee before making the move to Scone in 2019, told Racing NSW he wasn't feeling as nervous about the Dubbo start after Kennedy landed a winning ticket.

"It makes things easier, it would have been a bit of a worry because even though I can set him for the race and tell everyone he'll be ready third-up if he didn't win people could think that's not good enough,'' Crockett said.

"For this horse to be at his best he's got to be third or fourth up. I want him peaking on Kosciuszko Day. I don't want him peaking before then.

"I've been through the Kosciuszko and I'd never had a horse that was first to be picked, so I was banking on getting a slot on prior form and having him spot on third-up than trying to win our way into the race."

Sharpe Hussler ran seventh in the inaugural The Kosciuszko for Crockett while last year Mr Hussill finished sixth behind Art Cadeau but neither had the luxury of being specifically aimed at the race.

Commando Hunt, $2.70 favourite with TAB for his Dubbo return, ran Another One to a close margin in the Country Championships Final and Crockett believes that's a very handy credential to have for what is a deceptively tough race.

"You look at his record and you think he's a bit better at 1400m but you go back into the winners of The Kosciuszko and the majority aren't 1200m horses,'' Crockett said.

"They're horses that have won past 1400m. If you get to Randwick, it's 1200m and it's a heavy 10 anything that can run fast times over 1100m you might as well put a pen straight through. And anything that can't handle Randwick when it's wet."

Crockett could be well-represented in Sunday's feature sprint at Dubbo, with Commando Hunt joining stablemates Don'tforgetmonica and Primal Scream in the field.

Don'tforgetmonica and Primal Scream aren't certain to run on Sunday though and could be scratched depending on the state of the track.

The Dubbo surface was rated a Heavy 9 on Saturday afternoon after steady rain since Thursday.

As for Commando Hunt, Aaron Bullock will take the ride from gate four and Crockett said he was feeling comfortable about his stable star and the build-up to The Kosciuszko.

"I think he will get back and settle, I'd expect him to be finishing his race off really strong,'' he said.

"I'm only looking to see my horse run well, he's still got to run well.

"I couldn't delay his first-up run any longer knowing I want that horse third-up into The Kosciuszko."

Commando Hunt is set to line up in the $110,000 The Panorama (1300m) at Bathurst on September 25 then have three weeks into The Kosciuszko.

Sunday's Flying feature will also have three hopes from the Dubbo stables of Brett Robb in the field.

Dalavin, which has won each of its past three starts, will haver Clayton Gallagher in the saddle while top weight Classy Rebel and former Country Championships finalists Great Buy will be ridden by Jake Barrett and Michael Heagney respectively.

Fellow Dubbo trainer Michael Lunn will contest the event with Witness Collector.

Racing starts at at 1.10pm on Sunday while the Dubbo Gold Cup Calcutta is at the Castlereagh Hotel on Saturday night.

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