Western King finds form for Albany stable to boost hopes of Mt Barker Cup start

Western King, formerly owned by Bob Peters, is a chance to start in the $35,000 Mt Barker Cup (2000m) after winning impressively for Albany trainer Paul Hunter at Percy Spencer Racecourse on Monday.

Having his sixth start for Hunter, Western King produced his best run since he was purchased privately.

The six-year-old gelding powered home to claim the NTI Handicap (1920m), with jockey Kyra Yuill getting on the move near the home corner before she got a spilt between horses in the straight to spear through and win by a long neck.

The Mt Barker Cup is run on March 14 and could be an option for Hunter’s latest winner.

“He probably isn’t going well enough to target those races,” he said.

“Albany Cup is probably out of his league at the moment but the Mt Barker Cup is a bit more suitable for his ratings.

“The win (Monday) was the first real form he has shown and he has turned his work around in the last week or two.

“He has definitely improved on what he has been doing and turned the corner.

“We will look to space his runs out. He had three weeks between runs last time and was a bit fresher and bouncing around.

“So we will look to keep him on the fresh side and keep him at the trip.”

Albany trainer Gerry Hughes notched his fourth winner of the season after Dynamite Bay sprinted along the rail to take out the final race, handing apprentice Beaux Banovic-Edwards the second leg of a double.

Starauthoress gave Albany trainer Peter Western his first winner of the season to win race five for Jason Whiting.

Apprentices Banovic-Edwards, Austin Galati and Kristo Sardelic were all reprimanded for over use of their whip.

Star Of Bonnie Rose returned with cardiac arrhythmia in race four and Big Summer bled from both nostrils in race five.