Racing: Albert The Fat trims punters' bankrolls

BRISBANE - Gold Coast sprinter Albert The Fat delivered a knockout blow to punters and several winter carnival stars and gave rookie trainer Eden Petrie his first group one victory in the BTC Cup at Doomben.

Albert The Fat (A$21), ridden well Damian Browne, stormed home after having only four runners behind him at the 600m to down Melito (A$5.50) by a nose in the 1200m feature on Saturday.

The Bart Cummings-trained Latin News (A$17) was a long neck away third.

Albert The Fat's victory continued the race's hoodoo for fillies with none successful since it became a weight-for-age event in 1991.

Petrie did a long apprenticeship, working for 16 years as foreman for Gold Coast trainer John Wallace, before branching out on his own to train in October 2008.

Until the BTC Sprint, Petrie had saddled only one runner in a group one with Zilzie, who failed in last year's Winter Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

Albert The Fat had threatened to win a major sprint under Petrie's care for some time but the 39-year-old trainer didn't expect it to come so soon.

"This is unbelievable. I just can't believe it," Petrie said.

Albert The Fat, who was taken to Sydney last spring, almost didn't made it to the BTC Cup after he was beaten badly in the Magic Millions Sprint (1000m) at the Gold Coast last January.

"We found he had a niggling injury after the Magic Millions race so there was no point going any further with him," Petrie said. "I was disappointed with him that day so I gave him a couple of weeks off and brought him back in time for the winter races.

"I knew he was spot-on and had improved a lot since he ran third last start. Today was D-Day for him. If he didn't race well I'd take him back a step or two but finally the penny has dropped with him."

Petrie will now target the Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 29 before a likely shot at the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 12.

Browne, who collected his third group one, is still restricted to four rides a day after badly breaking his leg in a race fall several years ago.

"He was always travelling well and I wasn't worried at any stage," he said.

Melito's trainer Gerald Ryan and jockey Blake Shinn were confident the filly could get her revenge in the Doomben 10,000.

"She's got a big head but it's not quite big enough," Ryan said. "She ran terrific. She's a great filly who takes her form everywhere."

Shinn felt Melito, who was coming off a second in the All-Aged Stakes at Randwick last month, was crowded on the inside and would do better racing on the outside in her future races.

Tony Noonan wasn't disappointed, despite the A$2.90 favourite Ortensia's moderate effort to finish fifth.

Ardmore galloper Mufhasa was three wide the whole trip and never threatened in the straight.

- AAP