A change of scenery has been used in a late bid to enhance the Doomben 10,000 fortunes of Albert The Fat.
Trainer Chris Waller sent Albert The Fat to Hawkesbury on Sydney’s outskirts on Monday to contest a barrier trial rather than to Randwick for the sprinter-miler’s final serious gallop before Saturday’s Group One race.
The move worked with Albert The Fat running the fastest time of eight 1000m heats as he led home stablemate Coup Ay Tee by almost two lengths.
“It’s exactly what I wanted. I wanted to stay away from the hustle and bustle (of a 740-metre trial at Randwick),” Waller said.
“It gives him, plus all of our horses, a bit of confidence while at the same time having a quiet trial.”
Waller had a team of 11 horses at Hawkesbury and while Albert The Fat went to the line mostly on the bit for Brenton Avdulla, he was a stand-out for the stable as he dashed home his final furlong in 10.65s.
“You don’t get much confidence (into horses) going to Randwick over 740 metres, getting beaten 10 lengths and achieving very little,” Waller said.
“It was nice work from Albert The Fat so that’s it for him for the rest of the week.
“He’ll go to Queensland on Wednesday night.”
Waller confirmed Melbourne jockey Dwayne Dunn would ride the Emirates Stakes winner on Saturday.
Dunn rode Albert The Fat when the seven-year-old was beaten less than three lengths into seventh place in last month’s Doncaster Mile.
The Doncaster was Albert The Fat’s penultimate run in a frustrating sequence of Melbourne and Sydney autumn carnival starts.
Albert The Fat ran in the 2010 Doomben 10,000 but was beaten by a wide draw when 10th of 16 behind Hot Danish.
He is a $23 chance ahead of final acceptances on Wednesday.
