Underrated seven-year-old Albert The Fat scored his second Group One win and gave jockey Mark Zahra his first Melbourne success at the elite level when taking out the Emirates Stakes at Flemington.
The Chris Waller-trained gelding was well back early in the $1 million 1600m feature but finished resolutely to narrowly deny Peter Moody and Luke Nolen their second Group One of the day with King’s Rose.
Albert The Fat winning the Emirates Stakes (Group 1) at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
Secret Admirer was third.
Moody and Nolen earlier combined with wonder mare Black Caviar to win the Patinack Farm Classic, the unbeaten champion’s 16th straight success.
Albert The Fat won last year’s Group One BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben for trainer Eden Petrie and Saturday’s win took his record to 11 wins and six placings from 31 starts for prizemoney in excess of $1.25 million.
“Chris Waller’s got this horse going an absolute treat,” an excited Zahra said.
“I’m pumped, this is huge.”
Waller was rapt in both horse and jockey.
“It was certainly a thrill,” he said.
“Full credit to Mark.
“He’s a very professional jockey and got the job done.”
AAP TURF
