Three Albany runners in provincial final

Albany will have three chances in Saturday’s $60,000 Skyracing.Tv Provincial Championships Series Final (1400m) at Belmont Park with local runners Blizzard Express, Kronstadt and War Jeune all contesting the feature race.

Veteran Albany trainer Dixie Solly has Blizzard Express engaged, joined by fellow Albany chances Kronstadt, prepared by Roy Rogers, and War Jeune from Steve Wolfe’s stables.

The three are among a top field of 16 runners that will contest the race at the opening meeting of the Belmont Park season.

Kronstadt comes into the race in terrific form, including a dominant Albany victory in April and a runner-up placing to smart youngster Captivated Point last start.

The five-year-old will be ridden by Albany apprentice jockey Casey Hunter, who has saluted in three of his five career victories but they will need to overcome barrier 16 and 55.5kg.

Seven-year-old Blizzard Express has been in consistent form in the Great Southern recently, finishing 12th to My Greek Boy in the Fitzpatrick Plate and most recently was two lengths off Tiger Pete in Albany over 1240m.

Craig Staples will ride the Solly runner, who drew gate 10 and will carry 57kg on his back.

Wolfe prepares rising four-year-old War Jeune, who was an impressive winner two starts back and then ran strongly to be second behind Grey Enigma over 1400m at Ascot earlier this month.

Shaun McGruddy takes the ride on War Chant gelding, which will jump from barrier six and carry 57.5kg.

Albany jockey Mitchell Pate-man will ride Kalgoorlie galloper Rikki Tikki Tavi in the feature race.

Pateman has been in red-hot form in the Goldfields, with 11 victories from five meetings including another double last Sunday.

Last Saturday classy Albany sprinter Dream Lifter ridden by Pateman ran 15th in the Group 3 $150,000 Roma Cup (1200m).