After surviving a near-drowning experience Saxon Saxoff runs rivals ragged to win WA Jericho Cup qualifier

Veteran stayer Saxon Saxoff secured his place in the Jericho Cup final in Warrnambool later this year after winning the first-ever $100,000 Furphy Road To Jericho WA qualifier (3100m) at Albany on Monday. Albany is the first track in Western Australia to hold the Jericho Cup qualifier and it came on the Anzac Day long weekend in a city rich in war history. Karnup trainer Kevin Green and Saxon Saxoff nearly didn’t make it to the track, the pair overcoming a terrifying near-drowning experience in the lead-up to the big event. Saxon Saxoff’s victory automatically qualified him for a start in the $304,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool in November. Racing and Wagering WA will provide $20,000 to help with travel expenses for horse and trainer to make the trip to Victoria. Ridden by apprentice Madi Derrick, the 10-year-old gelding took the lead in the early stages and shot clear to lead by three lengths with 1200m to run in the staying event. Saxon Saxoff kicked clear in the home straight on the final lap and dug deep in the last 100m to hold out Red Hot Tip ($4.40 chance) by a nose while local runner Go It Alone was a half-head away in third in what was a thrilling finish to the big race. “We just wanted to run them off their legs and get them chasing to take the sprint out of them,” Green said. “We wanted to get a margin on them, but it wasn’t as much as we would have hoped. “I thought he was a chance with 50m to go and I was standing past the winning the post and thought he had won by a head and I started celebrating. “Then the caller said it was a photo finish and one of the closest nose margins he had seen. “He has run two miles twice before in a higher grade and been competitive, so I wasn’t worried about the distance.” On Saturday morning, Green took Saxon Saxoff for a wade in Princess Royal Harbour but quickly got into bother when they became stuck in quicksand. “I was staying at Gupta (Mark) Nelson’s and I thought I would take the horse for a wade on Saturday morning,” Green said. “The old boy wouldn’t go on the float so I walked him across the road and I was just trying to find a clear spot in the reeds. “I thought it looked like solid ground and then we just started sinking, the water was nearly up to his wither and up to my neck. “It was a bit precarious, he started to lean on me and push me under. I don’t know how I got out, but then I had to get him free and we were both covered in mud.” Saxon Saxoff is the only horse Green has in work and he was hopeful of making the trip east. “We have to look at the options for him, it’s still seven months away and there is no staying races in WA,” he said. “If it’s suitable, I will go over. “He has been a great horse for me, I bred him and have had him for 10 years, so it’s a massive thrill to win this qualifier. “We would be taking on the big boys over there, but the trip wouldn’t be a problem.”