Hometown jockey Mark Zahra combined with premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller to score a memorable Group 1 victory at Flemington on the final day of the 2011 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Zahra today steered talented veteran Albert The Fat, a $17 chance, to a last stride triumph over King’s Rose ($11) in the $1 million Emirates Stakes (1600m) with Secret Admirer ($6.50) a length back in third.
Recognised as a classy sprinter for much of his career, the seven-year-old was having just his second attempt at the mile after finishing 12th in last year’s Emirates Stakes for former trainer Paul Messara.
Zahra, who was aboard in last year’s race, settled Albert The Fat in the last third of the field before tracking nicely into the race on the back of well fancied topweight Jimmy Choux ($7).
The Peter Moody-trained, Luke Nolen-ridden King’s Rose kicked clear at the 200 metre mark, but Albert The Fat dug deep to deny Moody and Nolen a Group 1 double after the earlier win of Black Caviar.
For Zahra, who celebrated his maiden Group 1 win, the result was “indescribable” after only securing the ride yesterday when original booking Damien Oliver elected not to appeal an AAMI Victoria Derby Day suspension.
“It’s unfortunate for Damien but he’s got 100 or so (Group 1 winners) so I’m sure he’s happy to give me one. I’m just thrilled,” the popular jockey said.
“I only had 55-and-a-half (kilo) rides today and my manager (Reece Murphy) rang yesterday and said ‘don’t go silly but you might be riding this horse.’ Sure enough he rang last night and I hadn’t gone silly.
“I’ve got to give him (Murphy) a huge wrap. He does a superb job and to share this with him is massive.”
Zahra said the instructions were to ride the horse quietly and give him every chance to run the mile.
“To the horse’s credit, the last 100 (metres) he was out on his feet and just dug deep and he wanted to win. It was huge,” he said.
Waller, who said it was a big thrill to be winning a Group 1 during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, paid tribute to Zahra for his ride.
“It was timed to perfection,” he said. “He (Zahra) certainly could have had a little bit more up his sleeve and that would have made it easier for me (to watch), but full credit to Mark (Zahra).
“He basically only picked up the ride yesterday so he didn’t have much time to do any homework or get a feel for the horse. He is a very professional jockey though and got the job done.”
Waller said Albert The Fat, who is now likely to campaign in Perth, had enjoyed the perfect preparation and benefited from a decision to bypass a run on AAMI Victoria Derby Day.
“Each of his runs have been good. There was one average run in Sydney but that might have been second-up syndrome but certainly last start the writing was on the wall and all he had to do was get the 1600 metres and fortunately he did,” he said.
