Feature race success for local trainer as Morton’s Fork puts aside retirement plans to win Jericho qualifier

Veteran galloper Morton’s Fork booked his place in the historic Jericho Cup after charging home to a thrilling finish in the WA qualifier held at Percy Spencer Racecourse on Sunday. The Rebecca Bayliss-trained gelding produced a brilliant sprint in the $100,000 TABtouch — The Road To The Jericho Cup WA Qualifier (3100m) to pip favourite Come Right Back ($1.90) by a nose on the post. After settling near last, apprentice jockey Luke Campbell started his move at the 1000m mark and swept the lead as the field turned for home before holding off the recent Geraldton Cup winner in a near dead-heat finish. The nine-year-old former NSW gelding saluted with 52.5kg on his back to defeat the Adam Durrant-trained Come Right Back while Chuck A Luck ($6) stormed home to run a close third. It is the first win for Morton’s Fork in 554 days, his last triumph coming in the Avoca Cup in 2021, and handed Bayliss the biggest joy of her short training career. Bayliss said she was thrilled to have the stable favourite back in the winners circle. “I would have to say I wasn’t shocked but it was more because he pulled so hard, he didn’t really give himself every chance but I still believed he could get it,” she said. “The good weight difference between us and Come Right Back is probably what won us the race in the end. “He did himself no favours pulling like that, and it certainly made it hard at the end.” The Albany trainer said competing in the Jericho Cup will be a decision made at a later date. “It was going to be his retirement run but now we’ll just have to see what happens.” The esteemed Jericho Cup (4600m), which was first held in 1918, will be run on November 26 in Warrnambool and boasts a total prize pool of $304,000. The winner of the WA qualifier gets direct entry into the time-honoured race. Racing and Wagering WA provide $20,000 to the winning horse and trainer to help with travel expenses to Victoria for the final.