Racing NSW officials are expected to name gallopers for slots in the big race this Friday and local trainer Colt Prosser, son of the Wauchope race club’s secretary Debbie Prosser, has his fingers crossed for the seven-year-old which won at Randwick on the Kensington track last Wednesday.

“I just want a slot for my galloper,” Colt said after his gelding beat some handy gallopers with apprentice jockey Mikayla Weir in the saddle, it paying $12.30 on the TAB after as much as 20-1 was bet in fixed odds betting.

At least Prince Mayted has show his credentials at the right time in notching his ninth win, along with 20 placings, from 48 starts and prizemoney of $279,000.

The Kosciuszko race is for country0only gallopers over 1200m and is on the same day as the rich The Everest and at least the gelding has proven himself in city company, no doubt where other racehorses for the race will come from.

One of them is bound to be Port Macquarie gelding Victorem, trained by Jenny Graham, which scored stylishly in the $500,000 Country Final at The Championships at Royal Randwick in April.

Debbie said that the inclusion of Prince Mayted would be a terrific drawcard for locals to pack the Beechwood Road racetrack to cheer the local gelding on.

No matter, it is one of only a few racetracks holding meetings on October 13 and should ensure a good crowd.

And what a terrific boost it is for owning a racehorse, Prince Mayted having about a dozen local owners who bought shares up to $200 each in the gelding which cost $2000.

Should Prince Mayted miss a slot then it will be heading for another start in Sydney or or Brisbane or be aimed at the rich sprint at Port Macquarie’s Cup carnival on October 5 and 6.

Colt has a happy ability of picking up cheap racehorses and turning them into winners.

At Taree on Monday, September 3, he was at it again in scoring with four-year-old gelding Phelpedo ($5) which was having its third start for a dozen local owners.

The Delago Deluxe gelding was sold for $250,000 as a yearling but didn’t live up to city expectations with the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable and was returned to its breeder John Kelly at Newhaven Park Stud where it languished in a paddock for about a year.

Colt saw it was up for auction, liked what he saw, bought it for $1500 and sold five and 10 percent shares in its ownership, one of them going to his wife, Tarsha.

“A few mates, school friends and an ex-jockey are among the syndicate owners,” he said.

“It had a few feet problems when I got it in March and although it was big and lazy, it showed some ability.

“Cheap ones are all we can afford, so we have to make our own luck.  We are all battlers who go to work and love our racing.  I buy them on their type and how they look.”

And just a few he has bought cheap and have paid their way are Sweet Missile (paid $1200 and had three wins and four placings for $37,340 prizemoney), and Alpine Dragon ($4000 cost, 69 starts for eight wins and 23 placings for $136,515 prizemoney).

In the meantime, it is a waiting game until Prince Mayted’s future is known.