The $2 million Kosciuszko just wouldn't be the same without Keith Dryden and Handle The Truth.
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The Canberra trainer and his stable star have become synonymous with the world's richest race for country-trained horses.
You might as well throw in jockey Nash Rawiller into the mix too.
The trio have fronted up for every single running of the $2 million feature race - this will be the fourth time they've combined.
Yeah sure, there was the first running of The Kosciuszko (1200 metres) in 2018, but Canberra wasn't allowed to run in that edition so it doesn't count.
And how have they gone? A win, a second and a fourth. And they'll be right in the mix again when it jumps at Randwick on Saturday.
Following the scratching of former favourite It's Me, Handle The Truth's a $7.50 shot according to bet365 - behind new favourite Far Too Easy ($4.80).
Dryden saw Front Page ($5.50) and Art Cadeau ($10) as also in the mix.
"He's been in every one, it's his fourth one. He won it the first year, he ran fourth the second year, he ran second last year and now we're having another crack," he said.
![Canberra trainer Keith Dryden and Handle The Truth have become synonymous with the $2 million Kosciuszko. Picture by Karleen Minney Canberra trainer Keith Dryden and Handle The Truth have become synonymous with the $2 million Kosciuszko. Picture by Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/4237decf-0517-4a57-b192-2ac8a8e5a638.jpg/r0_408_5568_3551_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I think that will be some sort of record by himself - for the same horse to front up in the same feature race four years in a row with the same jockey on him.
"That's probably a story in itself."
Plus Dryden goes in off the back of being made a Canberra Racing life member at the club's annual general meeting during the week.
It's a fitting reward for someone who's been training at the club since the early 1980s and started "mucking around" with horses some 15 years before that.
The 76-year-old's even more part of the fabric at Thoroughbred Park than he is The Kosciuszko.
"Much appreciated it was, but you only go about and do your job don't you," Dryden said.
"What it means is you know the people support you also appreciate you. I've had good support in this industry and made a lot of friends over many years.
"I've been recognised now and I'm pleased about that."
Dryden was also pleased with Handle The Truth's two lead-up runs for The Kosciuszko - finishing third behind Eduardo and 11th behind Nature Strip, two of the favourites for the $15 million Everest.
"He's as good as I can get him ... I can't do any more," he said.
"I think we've done enough with him. The weather will play a part in it because he's got a lot of weight in 59 [kilograms], but a good rider, good barrier (six) so we'll just need luck in running now and we'll be competitive.
"His two runs have been in top company. It should be a little easier company [on Saturday]."
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Handle The Truth's not Dryden's only runner at Randwick on Everest Day.
He's also got Dream Runner in the Big Dance wild card (1600m).
The six-year-old gelding has already qualified for the $2 million Big Dance at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day - through finishing second in the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup in May.
But that doesn't guarantee him a run, whereas finishing in the first two on Saturday will.
Dream Runner needed another run regardless after Canberra's meeting last Friday was cancelled due to the rain.
"I need this run under his belt to get to where I want to be because he was in last week in Canberra and if he'd raced there he wouldn't of gone to this, but now I'm chasing my tail a bit," Dryden said.
"I'll have him ready, but what I would've liked to have done is have a 1400m last week and a mile in two week's time - that would've been prefect.
"I'm going straight to a mile now so he might be found a little bit wanting at the end of it, not quite ready, but that will top him up."
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