However, the five-old gelding's racing career was nearly over before it even started.

"I trained his mother, Mondial Dame - he's been with me since day dot,'' Byers, from Taree, explained.

"We broke him in and trialed him. But after his first trial he came back the next day with a tumour on his groin nearly half the size of a football.

"We sent him to a vet in Sydney. Then I got a phone call to say he might have to be destroyed as they thought it was cancerous. But they cut it out and tested it and I got a call to say it wasn't.

"He lost about eight months of his work.''

Since then Casino Mondial has had 14 starts for five wins, three seconds and three thirds and has chalked up more than $119,000 in prizemoney.

"He's gone really well,'' Byers smiled.

"And those thirds - some were beaten by a nose. He got beat a nose in the Krambach Cup.''

Byers also believes Casino Mondial will have the edge over most of the starters in Saturday's field.

"In his last five starts he's been racing in open company and that's the thing I like about him,'' he said.

"He has competed very well, with seconds and thirds and he bolted in in open company last start.

"A lot of the horses he's taking on this Saturday are very good, but a lot of them have been in class racing. That's how I feel he can come into the race. In my mind he's 100 per cent.''

Byers rates Casino Mondial as 'a good a chance as anything' in the field.

"The race is very open this year,'' Byers said.

"I think at least half the field can win. I wouldn't nominate one as the hardest to beat."

Casino Mondial qualified for Saturday when finishing second to the Jenny Graham-trained Magnalane in the Mid North Coast Qualifier at Taree on February 23.

"Since then he's won the Hannam Vale Cup here. He led all the way,'' Byers said.

"And in the championship (qualifier) he blundered out of the gate. That put him back to third last.

"He was trapped three or four deep the whole race then flew home and got beat by a nostril. Another bound and he would have won; he was coming too quick.''

Jay Ford will ride Casino Mondial for the first time on Saturday.

Byers also recognised Manning Valley Race Club for their support.

"They kept the B grass track open for me during the last three weeks and have given me every opportunity to be very competitive in this race.''

This will be Byers' second tilt at the championship.

"I won the championship qualifier at Port Macquarie in 2015 with Sheza Gypsy,'' he explained.

However, Byers is hoping for a bit more luck this time around.

"Sheza Gypsy was running second to the turn topping the rise when the saddle slipped very dangerously and the jockey had to pull her up,'' he recalled.

"The saddle was tight as anything, but it just slipped.''

RELATED:

Cup win for Country Final contender

Saturday at Royal Randwick will also be a vastly different atmosphere than 2015, with no spectators at the track and other other tight restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic. There's usually a bit of pomp and ceremony involved with the occasion, including a cocktail party on the Friday night and another function on the Saturday night.

However there'll be little socialising either on or off the track this weekend.

"I can't even take my wife,'' Byers said.

He left for Sydney early this morning and will be staying at the racecourse.

"At least we're still racing and I'm able to earn a small amount of money,'' he added, philosophically.

"There's a lot people far worse off.''

Casino Mondial has drawn 13 for the 1400 metre race due to start at 1.20.

While prizemoney has been reduced the winner will still pocket $216,000 with $80,000 for second and $40,00 for third.