Five local runners to contest Albany’s $100,000 Jericho Cup WA qualifier

A rich vein of local talent will contest the $100,000 TABTouch — The Road To The Jericho Cup WA Qualifier at Percy Spencer Racecourse on Sunday. Five local hoses will jump out of the gates for the 3100m feature race for a shot at The Jericho Cup held in Warrnambool in December. Roy Rogers will unleash a three-pronged attack with Feels Hot, Arabian Dream and Knentii, while Alan Smith will send out Deadly And Fast and his in-form six-year-old Oddoneout in a strong field of 12 horses. Albany apprentice jockey Rosie Mahony who is riding a wave of form will ride Ben Owen’s Mister Popcorn. Like Rogers, Perth-based trainer Ashley Maley is sending three stayers spearheaded by star four-year-old gelding Fioreyes who was handed 56.5kg, while Sluice Box (58kg) and Bad Wolf (60kg) were given the top weights. Fioreyes has won and placed in his first two races back from a 65-day spell and will be tough to beat. The race will be the fourth edition of the WA qualifier which brings some of the best horses from across the State to the Albany Racing Club for a go at an interstate race. The Jericho Cup (4600m) has been contested since 1918 and has links to one of Australia’s greatest-ever war horses, Bill The Bastard who won the first race. The Jericho Cup qualifier will be run at 4.20pm and is the highlight of a seven-race card. Entry to Percy Spencer Racecourse for the Sunday race meet will be a gold coin donation with all proceeds going to the Albany RSL.