The spelling paddock is beckoning New Zealand-bred mare Atishu following her sensational win in the Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The victory capped a stellar week for the Chris Waller-trained six-year-old, who finished runner-up to fellow Kiwi-bred Pride Of Jenni in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) a week prior.
Champions Day has been a lucrative day for Atishu and New Zealand-based syndicator Go Racing, with the daughter of Savabeel having won the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) a year prior.
“She is phenomenal,” Go Racing principal Albert Bosma said. “She has always had rare ability and an amazing turn of foot that very few horses can match.
“She loves Flemington and races so well there. She is effective at a mile or 2000m, but 2000m just opens up a whole lot of options for her.”
With the victory, Atishu has now extended her record to nine wins and 12 placings from 39 starts, including victories in the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) and Champions Stakes.
There are a plethora of options available to Atishu, and Bosma said he will discuss those with Waller this week before a plan is made, however, he is leaning towards the spelling paddock with his mare in the immediate future.
“Without speaking to Chris, my initial thoughts would be to spell now,” Bosma said.
“I think the Australian Cup at the end of March at Flemington would be a logical target – it is 2000m, it is weight-for-age, and it’s a Group One at Flemington. Two weeks later you have got the Queen Elizabeth.
“In my mind that is the path to follow but I will have a chat with Chris over the next day or so and we will map it out.”
Bosma purchased Atishu out of Waikato Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $260,000.
Earlier on Saturday, Go Racing we celebrating the debut win of Velocious in the Virtual Print Design & Branding 2YO (1000m) at Te Rapa.
Stakes targets now await the daughter of Written Tycoon, with the Karka Million 2YO (1200m) the main target for the filly who was purchased out of Inglewood Stud’s draft at Karaka earlier this year for $190,000.
“She is a very talented filly. We knew she had all the ability but a wide barrier (8) on debut we thought would make it hard for her to win from a ringcraft perspective.
“I think it was a pretty handy field and she was a good winner. If they had gone further, she would have won by more.
“She will learn a lot from that. You could see she was still a little bit green and didn’t know how to quite stretch out in the straight when she hit the front. She will only improve off that.
“At this early stage, we are thinking of heading to the Wakefield (Gr.2, 1200m) at Trentham with her. A well-bred filly to try and get some black-type as a two-year-old is important.
“Post that, we will just assess whether she needs another run, or just a gallop at Ellerslie if that is where the Karaka Million will be held, before going there.”
While still coming down from the high of a Group One win from the weekend, Bosma is looking forward to racing at Riccarton this week where his Go Racing silks will be well-represented in Wednesday’s Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m).
The Lisa Latta-trained Diss Is Dramatic and the Stephen Marsh-trained Gee Cee both take winning form into the race, but Bosma said it will be a tough ask to beat favourite It’s Business Time.
“Diss Is Dramatic is a Group Three winner over a mile at Riccarton,” Bosma said. “The draw is okay for her at eight. She has improved since her Thompson (Gr.3, 1600m) win (last start). It’s Business Time is a $2 favourite and the horse to beat, but she will run very well, it looks a good race for her.
“Gee Cee is flying. He won last start and should have won the start before, he just couldn’t get out.
He unfortunately has got a wider draw in 14 and that makes things difficult. He will probably have to go back in the field and get some cover. That is how he won last start, he got back and roared home.
“He will see out the mile. He will have a soft first half, so he should have plenty in the tank coming into that long straight and should finish off strongly."