Esperance trainer Helen Harding and Albany hoop Natasha Faithfull with strong claims in Sunday’s Mt Barker Cup

Albany jockey Natasha Faithfull has a terrific chance to win her first $35,000 Mt Barker Cup (2000m) this Sunday. Faithfull has the plum ride on the Helen Harding-prepared Deel Reed in the Mt Barker Cup. Last year the feature race wasn’t run, and a Great Southern Cup was held in its place at the Albany Racing Club. Faithfull has guided the Esperance-trained galloper to five of his seven career victories. Deel Red, a five-year-old gelding, ran a close-up fourth in last month’s Esperance Cup, and Harding said the only query was how he will handle the track. “He has been racing well but hasn’t run at the track, so he has to be able to handle the track to go close to winning,” she said. “It’s definitely good to have Tash aboard — she has a good understanding of the horse and rides him well. “I’m hoping and thinking he can definitely run top-three. “To win my second Mt Barker Cup would be great but it’s always hard to beat Wolfey (Steve Wolfe) over there.” Harding won the cup in 2013 with Imperial Command. Leading Albany trainer Wolfe will have a two-pronged attack in the race with veteran gallopers Mr Pago and War Ksar. Wolfe will be in search of his third Mt Barker Cup victory after scoring success in 2002 with Jeune’s Fantasy, and the most recent one at Mt Barker Turf Club with Gauged in 2019. Peter Hall will partner Mr Pago with 56.5kg from barrier seven, while Peter Knuckey jumps aboard War Ksar with 55.5kg on his back and will jump from gate four. In-form Albany trainer Roy Rogers has Classic Jack entered in his bid to win the race for the first time with senior jockey Chris Parnham aboard. The Angela Smith-trained Corporate Larrikin will be the top weight in the race again with 59.5kg ridden by apprentice Beaux Banovic-Edwards. A field of 10 runners will contest the cup.