Albert To Advance this Australia Day

 After securing his third win from eight starts with a dominant performance at Muswellbrook, imposing gelding Big Albert will be chasing back to back victories on Australia Day at Royal Randwick where he will meet his toughest opponents to date.

After two forgivable efforts when returning from a spell, Big Albert rewarded the faith of his connections with a comfortable victory over 1500 metres when partnered by Josh Parr.

Settling just off the pace in fifth, Albert stalked the frontrunners and was full of momentum when the field panned for home, taking his time to balance, wind-up and release a startling turn of foot that saw him career away over the concluding stages for a two and a half length win.

Albert presents as a somewhat unconventional athlete - awkwardly large in stance and almost unsure of his own size when at a full gallop, yet talented enough to put together an impressive record from his modest career to date.

The gelding typifies the classic Australian thoroughbred - with a likeable attitude and unassuming nature by a bread and butter sire and heralding from one of the great nurseries in Yarraman Park; so it would be fitting for him to victorious on our national day.

Meanwhile Monday’s trials at Warwick Farm played host to a number of high-profile returns from key autumn players including Astern, Divine Prophet, Honesty Prevails and Counterattack yet Pfieffer may hold his own strongest hand to date with the impressive trials of both Denmagic and I Thought So.

Denmagic needs no introduction as a mare continually on an upward spiral, despite only having tasted victory twice, with a gallant third in the G1 Myer already on her bulging resume. The daughter of Denman was given an easy time in her heat to finish powerfully under her own accord behind Lubiton, Fragonard and the G1 Darley Classic runner-up Spieth.

The following trial featured the vibrant I Thought So, playful and gleaming in the coat as he paraded “on the toe” before his heat. Combining with Blake Shinn, the colt glided over the turf after the jump, cruised up to the leading bunch on the turn and after a small squeeze from the jockey confidently let down with a burst of speed to put the trial away in a matter of strides.

“It was ideal to see (I Thought So) let down so well after Shinn urged him along” said Pfieffer.

“Both he and Denmagic are coming along perfectly this preparation. They look brilliant, they feel brilliant and after trialling like that I know they are hard fit; now I just have to keep them progressing as planned and get them to the races”.