Althoff has plenty of higher-profile stablemates in the Chris Waller yard, but courtesy of a beautifully judged Zac Lloyd ride, the five-year-old had his moment in the sun at Rosehill, claiming the scalp of Group 1 performer Attica.
Ridden patiently in midfield, Althoff ($3.60) peeled off heels in the straight before powering clear for an impressive 2-1/4-length win over Attica ($3.10 fav), with Epsom Handicap placegetter Fully Lit ($7) another short neck away in third.
“They never stop surprising you,” Waller said.
“He’s always been a consistent horse. He’s had a few niggles with his knees, and he’s obviously matured now and put all those little things behind him.
“Beautiful ride. Zac is riding with confidence. Horses feel that and that’s how he won.”
Althoff put the writing on the wall first-up when second to Carbonados at Rosehill on August 1 and, while he has at times been costly for punters, Waller believes he is capable of measuring up in a lower-grade stakes race given the right conditions.
“I know he’s not an easy horse to follow, but when they return like that you like to think they can build towards something, and he did,” Waller said.
“He’s never been one we’ve thought too highly of, but we’ve thought enough of him to keep him going.
“He’s a good, Saturday money-spinning horse and if he had the perfect conditions, a race at Newcastle like the Cameron (Handicap), or those type of second-tier Listed or Group Three races (could suit).”
Attica conceded seven kilograms to the winner and didn’t shirk his task in finishing second.
Stable representative Brave Pride said they expected the horse to show a sharper turn of foot based on his trials, but his performance indicated he was looking for a middle distance.
“Just the way he trialled, we thought he might have been a bit sharper today,” Brave Pride said.
“He ground away nicely. (Jockey) Adam (Hyeronimus) was happy with him. He just said he probably wanted to be in that rhythm a bit longer over 2000 metres. We’ll press on, probably with the idea of getting more towards a mile-and-a-quarter.”
Althoff’s victory completed a four-win program for Waller, while Lloyd celebrated a riding treble.
