Gai Waterhouse has celebrated the 124th Group One win of her career after Almalad defied favourite Brazen Beau to claim the J J Atkins on Saturday.

The big Eagle Farm crowd was set alight when Almalad ($4.80) and Brazen Beau ($2.45) settled down to a two-horse war in the final 200m of the 1600m race.

It was Almalad who came out on top, scoring by a long head with a half head to the unlucky Looks Like The Cat ($7) in third place.

Jockey Tom Berry, on a lightning visit from Hong Kong, brought up a winning treble aboard Almalad before revealing it hadn't been achieved without drama.

"I wanted to slide to the lead but then he wanted to over-race. The more I wanted to slide, then the more he wanted to hang," Berry said.

"But one thing about Gai's horses, they are tough."

Stable foreman Mark Newnham revealed Waterhouse had chosen Almalad as a winter carnival horse after he won at Gosford in December.

"She could hardly wait to get him to Brisbane for this race after he won first-up at Randwick (last month). Gai always said Almalad would be perfectly placed at the 1600 metres here," Newnham said.

"You can see he has a ton of natural ability. To win like that when he wanted to hang was great.

"Brazen Beau seemed to have his measure but he fought back, which is his trait."

Almalad was a $50,000 buy at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sales and Newnham said he would now be set for the Sydney and Melbourne spring carnivals.

"He looks an ideal type for the Caulfield Guineas but Gai will sit down now and plot a course for him," he said.

The win gave Waterhouse her sixth Group One of the season and a treble on a race day her father, legendary trainer T J Smith, dominated for decades.

Almalad's victory puts Waterhouse in equal third place with Lee Freedman on the list of the most successful Group One-winning trainers.

Nash Rawiller was pleased with the run of Brazen Beau and contemplated lodging a protest against the winner.

However, after looking at the stewards' footage he decided against it.

Damian Browne, who rode Looks Like The Cat, said his mount should have nearly won.

"I lost all momentum when Brazen Beau moved in the straight. It was a very good run," Browne said.

Trainer Tony Gollan believes Looks Like The Cat can develop into a Derby horse next year.

Damian Oliver, who rode fourth placed Pressing, said his mount tried hard but was never a winning chance.