Tommy Berry has lifted the lightly raced Almalad off the canvas to score a determined win in Saturday’s Group One J J Atkins at Eagle Farm.
The victory added to a brilliant afternoon for the young jockey and trainer Gai Waterhouse who earlier combined for stakes wins with two-year-old Sports Edition and in-form mare Cosmic Endeavour.
Alamalad - Tommy Berry
Almalad contested the lead with Time For War and the latter appeared to have shaken him off at the top of the straight.
Time For War was in turn claimed by Brazen Beau who hit the front and looked the winner before Almalad rallied late for Berry and surged again to edge out the favourite.
Looks Like The Cat did his best work late to grab third.
Waterhouse was responsible for a superb training performance with Almalad who was stepping up sharply in distance from a 1200m win at Randwick first-up to claim Saturday’s 1600m contest.
It was Waterhouse’s second J J Atkins victory in succession after the win by Romantic Touch last year.
Romantic Touch denied the Chris Waller-trained Zoustar and Sydney’s premier trainer again had to settle for second to Waterhouse with Brazen Beau.
