Melbourne, February 3 – Improving Magic Albert colt General Albert resumed from a short let-up with a strong finishing second in the Group Three VRC Debonair Stakes over 1200 metres at Moonee Valley on Saturday, going down by a length behind Wordsmith.
Prepared by Adrian McGregor at Mornington, General Albert ran a terrific race from an outside barrier when not beaten far in the Group Two MRC Sandown Guineas at the back end of last spring, prompting connections to set the colt for the better races this time around including a possible tilt at the Group One VRC Australian Guineas.
General Albert has the tidy record of two wins and two seconds from nine starts with earnings of $90,450, representing a sensational return on his purchase price of just $30,000.
General Albert was bred by Yarraman Park and offered for sale by Kelso Bloodstock as agent at the 2005 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale and is the tenth foal and first stakes performer for proven producer Lusso, a Group Three winner and half-sister to another Group Three winner in Laranto.
Lusso produced a full brother to General Albert last spring and was one of 180 mares covered by Magic Albert during the 2006 breeding season.
Magic Albert is currently running second to Show a Heart on the second season sires table by earnings and individual winners, his best performer to date being the New Zealand based Group One winner Magic Cape, the early favourite for the New Zealand Derby to be run in early March.
