Martina Mumma to showcase her credentials for The Kosciuszko at Rosehill

Trainer Matt Dale is striving to get a third runner into The Kosciuszko with one of his mares out to stake her claim at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Matt Dale is hoping lightly-raced mare Martina Mumma will join stablemates Front Page and Cavalier Charles in the $2m The Kosciuszko with an eye-catching performance at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Dale already has the red-hot favourite and two-time winner Front Page in the coveted country feature while Cavalier Charles has also been snapped up after finishing fourth in each of the past two editions.

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He believes Martina Mumma deserves a crack at the race but needs one of the two remaining slot-holders to lock her in before the October 19 event at Royal Randwick.

The daughter of Pariah will stake her claim in the Rosehill Bowling Club Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) this weekend.

“We have set her for The Kosciuszko the whole way through to get her there third-up,” Dale said.

“I didn’t sway her preparation to attempt to force her way in. I just set it so it was three weeks, three weeks into The Kosciuszko dropping in weight nicely.

“I am hoping she puts her hand up on Saturday for one of the last couple of slots.”

Martini Mumma was fourth in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes last preparation before finishing third behind the talented Spring Lee in her first run back from a break over 1100m.

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Dale had the option of running her in last week’s Highway event but has elected to wait another week.

“We could have run her in the Highway last week and she has obviously beaten those horses that ran one-two,” Dale said.

“She beat those two (Perennial and Ticklebelly) very comfortably when she last raced in a Highway as well as Compelling Truth and Tanglewood that are in the race.

“We elected to keep her in the stronger grade because it was just a better set up to lead her into the Kozzie if she gets a run where she would be third-up and rock solid.”

Dylan Gibbons will take the reigns on Martini Mumma ($11) this Saturday.

Dale confirmed Front Page will trial either next Friday or the following Tuesday as he prepares to attempt to claim a winning hat-trick in The Kosciuszko.

Originally published as Martina Mumma to showcase her credentials for The Kosciuszko at Rosehill