FOR seven years the Albury Gold Cup has proven to be an itch for jockey Brodie Loy that he just hasn't been able to scratch - until now.
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Despite being his hometown cup, Loy is yet to ride in the $200,000 feature after being overlooked by trainers or suspension robbing him of the opportunity.
Loy gets a golden opportunity to make-up for lost time after snaring the ride on the Bjorn Baker-trained Fun Fact.
Fun Fact is set to start favourite in the listed race after finishing runner-up in the recent Canberra Cup.
Baker has previously won over the Albury carnival but never had a starter in the 2000m-feature.
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Loy said he was keen to repay the faith shown in him by Baker and deliver the pair their first Gold Cup victory.
"I can't wait and it would be a dream come true to win my hometown cup," Loy said.
"If I could have picked the horse I wanted to be riding in the cup it would have been Fun Fact.
"I rode him in trackwork in Sydney on Tuesday morning and the horse is flying and felt a million dollars.
"It's just up to me to get the job done now."
Baker and Loy are no strangers to big race success.
Loy rode Burbero to a group 2 victory in Sydney in 2015 for Baker which is the 23-year-old's biggest career win to date.
The talented hoop said victory in the Albury Gold Cup would mean as much to him as the group 2 triumph.
"To win the feature race over the Albury carnival would put me back in the spotlight and hopefully help open some opportunities in Sydney for me," Loy said.
"I've been riding long enough now to know how fickle the racing game can be and you just have to grab any opportunities that happen to come your way with both hands."
Fun Fact heads into the Albury feature with the best form credentials.
The four-year-old grey gelding was a winner at Randwick two starts back over the Gold Cup distance of 2000m.
Fun Fact also proved ultra-competitive over the Magic Millions carnival.
It took rising star Mugatoo to beat Fun Fact in the Canberra Cup with the Kris Lees-trained import favourite for tomorrow's Manion Cup at Rosehill.
Loy said Maid Of Ore who finished third in the Canberra feature posed the biggest danger despite drawing the carpark in barrier 16.
"Fun Fact goes up 4kg and Maid Of Ore only 1kg after the both carried 54kg at Canberra," Loy said.
"I'll be attempting an all-the-way win.
"But if something goes stupid and wants to lead I'm happy to take a sit."
