After all that, Kosciuszko deal done

4 min read

Written by Paul Vettise

Scone trainer Rod Northam is hoping history repeats itself at Randwick next month, but this time with a significantly better financial result.

Last spring, he produced After All That (Time Thief) to win the $200,000 Anniversary Highway and this time around he is chasing victory on the same day in the $1.3 million Kosciuszko – the newly-created premier event for country-prepared horses.

To be run on the $13 million The Everest programme on October 13, the inaugural set weights and penalties event has been funded by a nation-wide sweepstake with $5 tickets sold through the TAB. Success in the lottery then entitles the winning ticket holders to negotiate with the owners for a spot in the race.

“It’s very exciting and I’m happy to have got the deal signed, sealed and delivered,” Northam said. “It’s basically with a group of Sydney and Grafton punters.

“It’s very exciting and I’m happy to have got the deal signed, sealed and delivered.” - Rod Northam.

“Fourteen of the boys went to the Grafton Cup carnival and put $50 in each as a syndicate and they were lucky enough to draw a ticket. They got on the phone to me last Friday night and again on Saturday morning when I was going to the races.”

After All That winning at Randwick

After All That was resuming in the G2 The Shorts at Randwick and finished a highly encouraging fourth behind Ball Of Muscle (Dubawi {IRE}).

“At that stage it was a 50-50 deal and after the race the phone was ringing hot and one guy offered 60-40, but the others had first right of refusal and they agreed,” Northam said. “I own the horse and had five or six others waiting in the wings so it was a good position to be in.

“I didn’t want to be too greedy, but the horse ran so well so I went for 60-40 and everybody’s happy.” – Rod Northam.

“I didn’t want to be too greedy, but the horse ran so well so I went for 60-40 and everybody’s happy.

“He’s flying and I was pretty confident he was going well, better than last year. I’ll use a similar plan to last year, he won the Anniversary on Everest day and I trialled him before that.

“He’ll have a 1000 metre trial at Gosford on Friday week to keep him ticking over. He’ll be nice and fresh and I’m confident he’ll run a big race.”

Triumph over adversity

For After All That just to be racing, let along for such a bumper prize, is a story in itself after the $30,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase had to overcome a double dose of adversity to triumph on the track.

“I originally bought him as a breeze-up horse and in his last gallop he fractured his pelvis so I got stuck with him. He went out and I got him back and he did it again, but in a different spot so I gave him another 12 months off.

“All’s well that ends well though, he’s a tough bugger and he’s repaid me in spades.

“All’s well that ends well though, he’s a tough bugger and he’s repaid me in spades.” – Rod Northam.

“He’s a late bloomer and didn’t race until he was four. He’s a very laid back horse around the stables and only does what he has to and then produces on race day.”

Now a 7-year-old, After All That has gone on to win six of his 28 starts and banked more than $400,000.

“For a country-trained horse to be running for this sort of money in the Kosciuszko is absolutely brilliant,” Northam said. “If we were lucky enough to win there will be a very, very big party at Scone.”

After All That as a yearling