Tena Koutou out to win back-to-back Albany cups and continue Adam Durrant’s dominance on the race

Talented stayer Tena Koutou will be out to win back-to-back Albany cups and hand leading WA trainer Adam Durrant more success in the race on Sunday.

A total of 14 nominations were received for the $100,000 Albany Cup (2100m) with Durrant’s defending champion at the top of the weights.

Tena Koutou was an impressive winner of the Albany Cup in 2022 to hand Durrant a historic seventh success in the race.

Durrant is the most successful trainer in the history of the event that dates back to 1892 and is out to win an eighth title.

Tena Koutou will carry 60kg in Sunday’s feature race and is having his second run back after a short break.

A winner at five of his 19 career starts, Tena Koutou ran fifth to Weaponson over 1800m at Ascot on March 18 when resuming from a spell.

The five-year-old boasts a terrific second-up record of two wins and one second from four attempts.

Trainer Ashley Maley will have two starters in the cup with Double Digit and Arnie’s Boy both engaged.

Alan Kennedy will ride Double Digit from a wide draw and that is the only other horse not on the minimum weight with 58.5kg.

Apprentice Taj Dyson has been booked to ride stablemate Arnie’s Boy.

Albany is set to have four runners in the cup, headlined by Artie’s Comet from the Roy Rogers stable.

Artie’s Comet has drawn barrier one and has been a model of consistency this preparation, which includes running second in the Mt Barker Cup.

Morton’s Fork will represent the local stable of Rebecca Bayliss while Albany hoop Natasha Faithfull will ride fellow local chance Said No One Ever (Annette Crump).

Paul Hunter’s Scream In Blue is also entered in the race.

Wagin galloper Brave Contender, who won the Mt Barker Cup and ran third in Monday’s Narrogin Cup, will start in the race for trainer Angela Smith and jockey Kyra Yuill.