DEAN Mirfin knows his mare Press Box was extremely lucky to be included in the 14-horse field for this year's The Kosciuszko, but now she's got a chance he is hoping she takes it.
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To get a spot in the field for the $1.3 million race to be conducted on October 19, Press Box needed to be selected by one of 14 sweep winners.
Fortunately one of those sweep winners, Tony Muollo, is a part owner of the four-year-old Hinchinbrook x Kaaptive Empress mare.
"He's a lucky owner, he got a ticket against all odds, so you never know what will happen now," Mirfin said.
"In a horse race anything can happen, the winner of the race last year was 50-1 and they probably thought they were an outside chance going into the race and they've ended up winning.
"It's only ever been run once before, for country horses it's unbelievable prize money. To have a race with $1.3 million for country horses only is something you only get a crack at every now and then in your life if you're lucky - even once - you never know."
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While The Kosciuszko is a race exclusively for country horses, the competition Press Box will face at Randwick over the 1,200 metres trip will be stiff.
Following the sweep she was rated an $18 chance, with her career record currently standing at three wins and four minor placings from 12 starts.
All three of those wins came earlier this year after the former Chris Waller trained runner relocated to Mirfin's Bathurst stable.
Mirfin plans to give Press Box, who returned from a 12-week spell with a third at Randwick on September 7, one more run before tackling The Kosciuszko.
"We'll give her one more run somewhere, possibly Bathurst next week depending on how that race turns out. So yeah ... she'll go to the big race third-run back from a spell," he said.
"It's better odds than winning the lotto isn't it? There are 14 horses in the race and you get a chance to get huge prize money.
"She's got no chance at all of winning the race if she's standing in the stable at home, but if she's in a box at the races, then she's a one in 14 chance."