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By Graeme White

It has been 12 months between winning celebrations for the team behind Mr Moppett ($2.50 favourite on TAB) but that looks a strong chance of changing in Members Albury Sprint Classic Handicap (1000m) at Albury on Friday.

Mr Moppett’s last victory was in the 2024 edition where he defeated Vella Magic ($13) and Big Day Out ($4) who both line up again in the feature race.

Mr Moppett excels at this level having won two Gundagai Tuckerbox’s – the feature sprint at the Snake Gully Cup Carnival – while he finished second in the same race last year.

Mr Moppett (Jeff Penza) heads to the barriers at Warwick Farm. Image by Bradley Photographers

The seven-year-old has clocked over $250,000 in earnings and judging by his impressive recent trial win at Corowa he is well placed for the ninth win of his career.

Jerilderie trainer Ross Purcell has prepared Mr Moppett for the latter part of his career with the galloper being a son of former classy sprinter Sweet Emily.

The mare won several races including three on Metropolitan tracks under the care of the late trainer Phil Sweeney who also formerly prepared Mr Moppett.

The scratchings of Flying Sultan, Rumours Abound and Real Gun has reduced the field to six.

Meanwhile, trainer Danny Beasley has elected to drop back in distance with favourite Heavenly Kiss ($2.10 fav) in the Johnsons MME F&M Maiden Handicap (1175m). Heavenly Kiss had her first start for Beasley when a closing third over 1500m at Albury on April 24.

“I think she is better sited to the shorter distance even though she ran on well over the longer last time,” he said. “I only had her for a couple of weeks from Ron Quinton and know a bit more about her now.

“I expect her to be hard to beat on what she showed last time.”

Heavenly Kiss is raced by Neville Begg and partners who also raced Beasley’s promising three-year-old Jato.

Young Wagga-based apprentice jockey Violet Soulsby will ride Gold Candle ($41) in the same race as she looks to establish herself in her new area.

Soulsby is on loan to Gold Candle’s trainer Doug Gorrel after relocating from the Peter Robl stable. She won the Hillston Cup recently and is keen to add some TAB wins to her record.

Her best chance on Friday could be Spirit Lake ($6) in the Custom Air Class 1 (1175m). Spirit Lake has won two of her past three starts at picnic level and is one of three runners for trainer Darrel Burnett who also has Divine Conclusion and Fire Your Guns racing.

Meanwhile, Albury has commenced work on a new inside slow sand training track to complement the fast sand and course proper. The additional track is a welcome bonus and should be finished by September.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Albury here