Storm Commander and First Law join Albany stable ahead of strong first meeting of Great Southern season

Albany trainer Jonathon Jachmann will hold a strong hand at the opening meeting of the Great Southern season on Sunday, including new stable acquisitions Storm Commander and First Law. The pair were purchased by Jachmann at the Inglis online sales and will be part of team of nine runners that will race in Albany to open the 2023-24 season. Storm Commander was previously trained by Neville Parnham while First Law comes to the region from co-trainers Chris and Michael Gangemi. Jachmann said he was looking forward to the new local season and hoped it would be a successful one. Moving to Albany from Northam, Jachmann is entering his fifth season here and has two provincial wins to his name already in 2023-24. “For sure we are looking forward to the season,” he said. “Some of our horses have been nominated for town the last couple of weeks but drawn badly. “They should be around the place and all doing their best. “We operate with about 12 in work so it’s a nice little team.” First Law and Storm Commander will run together in the 70+ handicap over 1000m on Sunday. Storm Commander last started on October 8 when second to The Great Hoya in Northam. The five-year-old gelding has won four of his 21 career starts and will be ridden by Jade McNaught in his first start for Jachmann. First Law, a winner four times, was fourth in the same race that Storm Commander ran in last month, at his first start for the new stable. Apprentice Zephen Johnston-Porter will retain the ride on the six-year-old gelding. “First Law was a nice performance at Northam,” Jachmann said. “It was basically a trial, and he went pretty well, he is drawn better here so I think he’ll be hard to beat. “Storm Commander has only been here a couple of weeks and has had a couple of swims and a gallop.” Jachmann was also keen on the chances of Annihilator, who has already won this seasonin a 58+ handicap over 1500m with Johnston-Porter aboard. The stable will also have maiden galloper Crombie, Highfriar, Rock Of Kaha, Aramat, Ricky’s Ora and Al Capitano start in the season opener. Strong fields were received for the Great Southern’s first meeting, transferred from Mt Barker to Albany after Frost Park failed a track inspection last week. There will be eight races at Percy Spencer Racecourse on Sunday to start a big 20-meeting season.