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Three-pronged attack for Albany trainer Paul Hunter in Swan Draught Handicap on Boxing Day

Headshot of Cameron Newbold
Cameron NewboldAlbany Advertiser
Sax On Que is a strong chance for Paul Hunter on Boxing Day.
Camera IconSax On Que is a strong chance for Paul Hunter on Boxing Day. Credit: Laurie Benson/Albany Advertiser

Albany trainer Paul Hunter has a strong hand in the Swan Draught Handicap as part of Albany’s popular Boxing Day race card.

Hunter will have a three-pronged attack in the race on Sunday and will saddle up six runners across the seven-event program.

Sax On Que, Western King and Carmurlea make up Hunter’s three runners in the $20,000 Swan Draught Handicap (1100m).

Western King has not run since being unplaced over 2100m at Belmont in May and resumes without a trial in the small field of eight.

Peter Knuckey will be aboard Western King, who has won one race since joining the Hunter stables, from barrier three with 57.5kg.

Consistent type Sax On Que has strong claims in the race, having been placed twice at Narrogin this campaign and had plenty go wrong when he ran sixth in Albany on December 10.

Jason Whiting jumps back aboard the eight-year-old who is drawn ideally in gate two and carries the minimum 54kg.

New stable acquisition Carmurlea will start from barrier five with Beaux Banovic-Edwards in the saddle, after running seventh in a recent Albany barrier trial.

Candijay handed Hunter his first winner of the Great Southern season back in November and after finishing second in a recent class two event, is a strong winning chance on Sunday in the White Claw Handicap (1230m).

Hunter also has Luke’s Pierro (race two) and Ruby Jean (race three) starting on Boxing Day.

Albany will be one of only two tracks in WA that holds a meeting on Boxing Day after Pinjarra’s scheduled races were postponed because of extreme heat.

The Pinjarra meeting will now be held next Wednesday instead, leaving only Albany and Esperance to run on Sunday.

The Boxing Day meeting is the Albany Racing Club’s biggest meeting of the season, with thousands of spectators expected to flock to Percy Spencer Racecourse on Sunday for the annual social event.

The first race starts at 1.58pm with the final event set down for 5.42pm.

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