Liam O’Loughlin believes Wild Fusion can deliver his biggest win to date in the $100,000 Fitzpatrick Plate

Young Albany trainer Liam O’Loughlin believes he can taste the biggest success of his career to date, in the $100,000 Fitzpatrick Plate (1200m) on Sunday at Percy Spencer Racecourse. O’Loughlin has 13 wins as a trainer and had his first metropolitan success this season with Wild Fusion. Wild Fusion is the horse O’Loughlin will start in Albany’s rich sprint feature race. The six-year-old gelding is in hot form this campaign and appears well placed for a crack at the Fitzpatrick Plate. Wild Fusion produced a fighting win by a short head over Glamour Packed in the Westspeed Platinum Series Heat at Ascot in November before running second to the same horse a fortnight later in the $100,000 final. The Fitzpatrick Plate will be the biggest race O’Loughlin has saddled up a horse in. “It was always in the back of my mind to come here but it’s just whether or not they will be too slick over the 1200m,” he said. “But with no float trip, and he has won five of eight at the track, he will be on the minimum, drawn not a bad alley and we have one of the best jocks on so we thought we would have a crack at it. “I reckon he can win with the right run but he is definitely a top-four chance, his work has shown that and he’s pretty fresh.” Fresh from his first Perth Cup win, Chris Parnham retains the ride on Wild Fusion who has drawn barrier seven and will carry the minimum weight of 55kg. “He (Parnham) is probably one of the best jocks in form, if you take (William) Pike out of the mix,” O’Loughlin said. “The aim was always to go back to town but most of the owners are locals so you don’t really (often) have a chance to be a genuine contender to win races like this.” Wild Fusion is set to do battle with the likes of Resortman, Diablerie and Sunday’s Mandurah Cup winner Peppijack in the feature race. Last season’s Mungrup Stud Sprint winner Baraki Beats is entered along with 2017 Fitzpatrick Plate winner My Greek Boy.