Emirates Park stallion Al Maher has another three year-old stakes winner on his CV following the last-to-first victory of Bigelow in the Listed VRC Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Bigelow is a lightly-raced gelding who successful in two of three outings before his Flemington black-type engagement.  He was a heavily backed favourite for the contest in which he was opposed by several proven stakes winners.

Ridden back in the field until well into the straight, the second-crop son of Al Maher produced a withering late sprint over the concluding stages to score by a neck.

Bigelow became Al Maher’s third stakes winning three year-old of the current racing season and his sixth three year-old stakes winner with just his first two crops to race.  

Becerra (SAJC Morphettville Guineas) and M’Lady Pedrille (AJC Reginald Allen Quality) won Listed events earlier in 2010-11, while Majestic Music, Speedy Natalie and Marheta all won in Group company in 2009-10.

Significantly, Bigelow is the latest high-class galloper sired by Al Maher from a daughter of a Nijinsky-line stallion.  His dam Academy Angel is by Royal Academy as are Majestic Music, Why She Left, Whispering Beauty, Al Ahmar, Leica Roller and Taj Maher.

Similarly, Marheta is a maternal grand-daughter of Generous, an Epsom Derby winning son of Caerleon (Nijinsky).

Bigelow was purchased at the 2009 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $52,500 by trainer Clinton McDonald.  He has already earned over $130,000 in prizemoney.