It took Australia's most successful jockey Robert Thompson 35 years but he finally achieved one of his long-held ambitions by winning the Group Three Cameron Handicap at Newcastle on Absolutelyfabulous.It was virtually an all-Newcastle affair in Wednesday's 1300m feature with the mare trained on the track by Kris Lees.While Thompson has lived all his life at nearby Cessnock he regards Newcastle as his home track."It has taken me 35 years to win this race," Thompson said."That's why I didn't reti

It took Australia's most successful jockey Robert Thompson 35 years but he finally achieved one of his long-held ambitions by winning the Group Three Cameron Handicap at Newcastle on Absolutelyfabulous.

It was virtually an all-Newcastle affair in Wednesday's 1300m feature with the mare trained on the track by Kris Lees.

While Thompson has lived all his life at nearby Cessnock he regards Newcastle as his home track.

"It has taken me 35 years to win this race," Thompson said.

"That's why I didn't retire after I broke the record (for most number of winners).

"I don't have any plans to retire now."

In July last year, Thompson eclipsed the record set by Jack Thompson for the most number of winners ridden in Australia and last season booted home another 100.

Thompson was forced to revert to plan B aboard Absolutelyfabulous on Wednesday after she missed the start slightly.

"The plan that Kris and I worked out was to have her about midfield," Thompson said.

"However, after getting away slowly I let her settle back near the tail of the field.

"Then the gaps started to come and I just hung on.

"She went through them on her own."

Absolutelyfabulous ($7) won by a length from the luckless $3.70 favourite Black Piranha with McClintock ($10) a further neck away third.

At the 200 metres, Black Piranha's jockey Tye Angland had to check off heels and change course and trainer Con Karakatsanis believed that could have cost his gelding the race.

"He was carrying 60 kilos while the winner only had 53 kilos so that would have had a bearing as well," Karakatsanis said.

"He is still on track for the Cox Plate.

"His next start will be in the George Main Stakes then he will go to Melbourne and run in the Toorak as his final leadup to the Cox Plate."

Absolutelyfabulous is also headed to Melbourne for the Myer Classic at Flemington on Derby day, a race she ran second in last year.

However, she will run in the Angst Stakes at Randwick on Epsom Day before running at Caulfield on Cup day.

Lees said winning the Cameron was one of the highlights of his training career.

"It's on my home track and that makes it special," Lees said.

"Corey Brown usually rides the mare but when he got suspended I had no hesitation giving Robert the ride.

"He could ride at the weight and he certainly knows how to get the job done."

Lees started training in 2003 after the death of his father Max, who won three Cameron Handicaps.

A month after taking over the stable Kris Lees ran second in the Cameron with Britt's Best and Absolutelyfabulous' victory was his first in a feature race at his home track.