Joe
O'Neill of Prime Thoroughbreds has a happy knack for finding inexpensive
yearlings that turn into winners and one of those is Almerheri, who scored a
stylish victory at Warwick Farm on Wednesday for the John Thompson stable.
A four year-old daughter of Al Maher, Almerheri was cherry ripe at her third
run back from a spell and was too strong at the finish in scoring a half length
win in the Benchmark 64 event over 1600 metres.
It was the second win for Almerheri, who has now won over $70,000 and ended her
last preparation with a midfield run in the Group III Kembla Grange Classic.
"She's a typical Joe O'Neill horse," said John Thompson.
"He buys racehorses and they all seem to win. She's a nice progressive mare
that can go through her grades and might get some Black Type down the track."
Almerheri was a $50,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase for Prime
Thoroughbreds from the draft of Riverina Downs and is the second winner from
Miss Cutie, a metro winning Street Cry (IRE) mare from the family of Group I
winner Defier.
Al Maher has relocated from the Hunter Valley to Victoria this spring and will stand
at Stockwell Thoroughbreds alongside Artie Schiller (USA) and Rock Sturdy.
At age 18, Al Maher is feeling well heading into spring as you can see in this picture
from Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria.
"It's a great photo of Al Maher. I was laughing, as he acts like a
two-year-old kid. It's great to see him expressing himself and having fun. He
is feeling so well, ready and rearing, literally, to go for the season,"said Stockwell Thoroughbreds stallion handler Bec Drylie.
Al Maher stands at a fee of $8,800.