A big first-up win in a TAB Highway on the weekend catapulted So Magnificent into The Kosciuszko frame and it has taken Todd Smart’s four-year-old to Royal Randwick with Croydon Park slot winner Michael Borosdevi along for the ride.
The Todd Smart trained four-year-old gelding So Magnificent has secured a spot in the 2025, $2 million dollar Kosciuszko after slot winner Michael Borosdevi elected to select it as his horse of choice.
In the world of horse racing, the Kosciuszko is a race of dreams for country trainers. Since its inauguration in 2018, the $2 million event has become the holy grail for country-trained horses, a race where anyone in New South Wales can hold a winning ticket to a life-changing opportunity.
The format is unique: 14 lucky sweepstakes winners, drawn from a lottery, get to choose a country-trained horse to represent them on a grand stage. This year, all eyes are on an unassuming four-year-old gelding and his dedicated trainer, Todd Smart. The horse is So Magnificent, and his journey to the starting gate on Everest Day is a testament to patience, skill, and unwavering belief.
Todd Smart isn’t a household name in racing, but within the Canberra training ranks, his reputation is sterling. He is known for his ability to spot a diamond in the rough and polish it into a winner. His track record with younger horses is particularly impressive, having trained the likes of Love Shuck and Cashbook to victory in the valuable Inglis Challenge. But So Magnificent, he says, might just be the best of them all.
The story of their partnership began not with a splashy sale, but with a quiet decision. So Magnificent, a colt by the superstar stallion So You Think, failed to meet his reserve price at the 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The owner, James Ch’ng, decided to keep him, and a friend with an eye for talent recommended Todd Smart. What followed was a relationship built on trust and a shared vision.
Early on, So Magnificent was a challenge. He was a “big, gross stallion” with a touch of immaturity, needing time to grow into his imposing frame and learn the subtleties of racing. Smart didn’t rush him, giving him the space and time to develop.
The strategy paid off spectacularly when the horse started racing, winning four of his first five starts and dominating fields in country and provincial events. His most significant win came in a Highway Handicap at Randwick, a performance that put him firmly on the map for a Kosciuszko slot. But a serious cloud hung over his preparation.
In a race back in March, an official stewards’ report noted that the horse had bled from both nostrils. This is a significant concern in racing, triggering an automatic three-month ban in Australia. While So Magnificent was technically a stallion at the time, his official racing record has since listed him as a gelding, a key detail that points to a decision to maximise his racing career.
With the three-month ban served and the horse’s spot in The Kosciuszko secured, the question on everyone’s mind has been his fitness. Smart has been firm in his plan: no more races, just a trial, with the horse entering the biggest race of his career on a fresh run.
While Smart has never publicly confirmed that this is due to a fear of another bleed, it is a very plausible strategy that would make any trainer nervous.
With his slot confirmed, So Magnificent enters the race as a legitimate contender, but the field is stacked with quality. He will face off against two-time winner Front Page and other talented horses like Clear Thinking and Gallant Star.
For Todd Smart, this race is a chance to prove his horse is as good as he says. For So Magnificent, it’s an opportunity to fulfil the promise of his pedigree and validate the patient training that has brought him to this moment.
The story, now at its climax, is ready for its final chapter.
Original Article
https://gundagaitimes.com.au/2025/09/so-magnificent-ready-to-climb-kosciuszko/