Northam signed a deal with a syndicate of 14 Sydney punters to give After All That their slot in the 1200-metre race for country-trained horses at Randwick on Everest day, October 13. The 12 slot-holders were decided in a draw last Friday after 200,000 $5 tickets were sold.

After All That stamped his credentials with a length fourth behind Ball Of Muscle in the group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday. However, Northam’s other Kosciuszko hope, Big Money, was last.

The run was the 40^th and last for the nine-year-old, which claimed $817,110 and 10 wins, including five at black-type level despite battles with feet injuries.

“Big Money just didn’t pull up great so we are going to retire him,” Northam said. “It was a really good day on Saturday but also a sad day.

”I thought I had him the best I’d had him in two years but Corey [Brown] said he felt like he didn’t want to let down and Robert [Thompson] had said that the start before, so we thought that’s enough. He owes us nothing. He’s been a ripper … he’s always been my favourite.”

Following news Scone trainer Brett Cavanough had secured a Kosciuszko deal for The Monstar, Northam locked in the place of After All That. He was thrilled to confirm a start and was “rapt” with the run on Saturday.

“I went 60-40, which I think is really fair,” he said of the deal. “It’s easier for me because I own the horse. I get the 10 per cent plus the winnings, so I wasn’t looking for anything astronomical.

“I would have taken 50-50 before Saturday, I told the guys that, but after he ran, I said 60-40. I had other guys offer that, and they were happy to go that way.”

“I had a heap of them waiting and Brett was one of those waiting on me last night, but I gave the first guy who rang me first option and once he got back to me with his mates, he said he’d take it.” 

Given the performance on Saturday, Northam was confident After All That could figure in the Kosciuszko finish. He won at $11 on Everest day last year in the $200,000 Anniversary Highway (1400m).

“I was confident he would run well, like he did last year, but I did think he was going better and he did race better,” he said.

“We’ll do the same plan as last year into the anniversary. We’ll trial him and he’ll be forgotten by the time the race comes around and the price will drift even more.

“He ran the fastest last 600 on Saturday and finished just behind Brave Smash and if he can reproduce that run on the day, I think he puts himself right in the picture.”

He said Cessnock champion Robert Thompson will ride After All That in the Kosciuszko.