Trainer Roy Rogers confident of back-to-back victories in Skyracing.TV – Provincial Championship Series final

Albany trainer Roy Rogers is confident he can win the Skyracing.TV Provincial Championship Series final for the second straight year. Rogers claimed the 2021 edition of the race with Dark Assault in May last year and he will return to Belmont Park on Saturday with two live hopes in the race. Dark Assault is back to defend his crown in the $100,000 feature race while progressive type Sneaky Fox is the second of the Rogers runners. The final is run over 1400m and attracted a final field of 16 runners with more than $50,000 in prizemoney going to the winner. Sneaky Fox had six barrier trials before getting to the races but has showed plenty of promise, scoring a hat-trick of wins in the Great Southern this season. The four-year-old son of Gingerbread Man finished third in the Albany heat of the series and at his most recent start was sixth behind Rebelzone at Pinjarra Scarpside over 1200m. Jade McNaught retains the ride on Sneaky Fox, who will carry 55kg in the feature race. Dark Assault won the 2021 final, storming home from 12th on the turn under the guidance of champion jockey William Pike to beat Crystal Dane by nearly one length. Brad Rawiller will be aboard Dark Assault, who has had only five starts since last year’s win in this event. He was spelled after running 10th in the listed Belmont Guineas in June last year and then returned with two average runs in open company in Albany in November. After another break the four-year-old gelding made a terrific return to racing earlier in May, running third to Star Present in the Pinjarra Scarpside heat of the series. He will have to lump 58kg in his bid to win the race for a second time. “Both of mine are live chances,” Rogers said. “We have (Sneaky Fox) spot on for the final after that last run. “Dark Assault was a really good run and he needed it, but he’s been working sensational. “With the pull in the weights I’d lean towards Sneaky Fox as the up and coming horse but the barrier is a blow. “It will be a genuinely run race, it’s going to be soft and both my horses like give in the track. “We worked out Dark Assault likes the soft tracks and we put him away for that reason.” Fellow Albany runner Long Knife Brother will also race in the final from the stable of Des Attwell. Rogers will start impressive Albany winner Prince Ragnar in a three-year-old handicap race at Belmont on the same day. The former Grant Williams-trained gelding has won twice since being transferred to Rogers, his last victory a dominant 2.1-length win on a soft seven in Albany last week. Albany trainer Rebecca Wallrodt will also have veteran stayer Morton’s Fork in action over 2000m on the Belmont program.