The king of the Jungle Juice Cup, Jeremy Sylvester, might not have a runner on Friday in Cessnock's biggest race.

The Jungle Juice Cup has moved from July to October to take up a valued Friday slot in the racing program and Sylvester, who has won eight cups and "probably should have won two more", has aimed Aomen and Three Sheets, last year's runner-up, at the cup.

"It might be the first time in five years I don't have a runner because they might just get too much weight," he said. "We will look at the weights on Tuesday and make a decision, but it might be someone else's turn this year."

If he doesn't have a runner it will mean jockey Robert Thompson, who won 11 Jungle Juice Cups will be looking for a ride.

Fellow Cessnock trainer Graham Payne is relieved to hear Sylvester might not be there after running second to him a couple of times in the cup. He has targeted Dark Image and Exacting, on the back up from the Randwick Highway Handicap on Saturday, for the Jungle Juice Cup.

"It is the race we all want to win and Jeremy just doesn't give anyone else a go," Payne said. "I was there the second time they ran it and they had to call the riot squad from Newcastle. It is not as wild these days.

"But everyone knows the Jungle Juice Cup and they ask if you have won one."

Payne decided to follow his passion of training after nearly dying during open-heart surgery in 2008.

"I was in the a coma for seven days and fought the devil off three times to still be here," he said. "When I got out I wanted to give the training thing a crack and the Jungle Juice Cup is the race we all want to win in Cessnock.

"I have run seconds and thirds, so it would be good to finally win one."

Payne was coy about the chances of Dark Image, which has only just joined his stable from Adelaide, preferring Exacting.

"If he backs up from Saturday, he is one to beat," Payne said. "They are talking about the other horse and they have never seen him race."

Race diary

Monday: Armidale, Leeton. Tuesday: Murwillumbah, Queanbeyan. Friday: Cessnock, Coffs Harbour. Saturday: Albury, Forbes, Gulargambone, Wauchope.

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