The spring pathway of exciting Savabeel mare Atishu will become clearer when she tackles Saturday's Darwin Turf Club Trophy (1400m) at Randwick at her Australian debut.
The Go Racing-owned four-year-old has transferred from Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh to Sydney-based Kiwi Chris Waller, having won four of her nine starts in New Zealand, culminating in Listed wins in the NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) and Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton.
Go Racing's Albert Bosma was delighted with Atishu's trial win at Rosehill last week and said Waller was happy with her build-up to this weekend's race.
"Her trial was excellent. That was her second trial. Her first one in Sydney was just a quiet go-around," Bosma said.
"Last week, she picked them up really quickly. She was given a squeeze about the 300 (metres) and in the space of 150m, she picked up five or six lengths and over the last 100, she just coasted to win.
"It showed us she's come back really well. Chris is really happy with her. He said to me yesterday that she's in good condition and that she's a happy horse. He's very happy with her going into tomorrow.
"Certainly with her trial and her trackwork, it doesn't look like she's lost any of her turn of foot. We couldn't be any happier with her."
Lucrative spring targets beckon Atishu if she can prove herself competitive in her first two starts in Australia but Bosma said her programme had yet to be decided.
"We've got to find where she sits best this preparation, what her distances are," he said.
"We've got two lines of attack. One line of attack takes us to the Epsom, a Group One mile worth $A1.5 million, then hopefully to the Golden Eagle. That would be the ultimate goal for a four-year-old, worth $A7.5 million at the end of October.
"The other line goes down more a staying path of trying to sneak into the Caulfield Cup (Gr.1, 2400m). We've got to listen to her. She was very effective at a mile but also very effective at 2000m. My gut instinct says that 2000m is going to be her best distance but we're going to see what she tells us in her first couple of runs and then go down that path."
TAB bookmakers have the Kerrin McEvoy-ridden Atishu as a $5.50 second favourite for Saturday's race behind the Walker-trained, James McDonald ride Bigboyroy at $4.50.
"We need to be slightly wary that her first-up runs in both her previous preparations, she's been beaten and she is a horse that does improve a lot off that first-up run and we've seen it both times that she's improved three or four lengths," Bosma said in assessing her prospects.
"But she strikes the right grade of race, she's got 55 kilos and she's going to be settling just behind midfield and with her turn of foot she's going to be hitting the line very hard so we think she's a top-three chance."
Go Racing has four runners in Australia on Saturday, with Sacred Falls' half-brother Wairere Falls looking to improve off second placings at his last two starts at Randwick, Skyman resuming at Moonee Valley and Stardome in action at Eagle Farm.
"Wairere Falls is in great form. He won his last start in this grade. He goes up in weight so we've Brock Ryan on which drops two kilos so he's only carrying half a kilo more than last time. The draw is the biggest concern with him," Bosma said.
"Skyman is a very talented horse. He's first-up for the spring. He's won four of his eight races in Australia. His work going into this race has been very good. He's in for an excellent preparation but the concern for him is his one failure in Australia was at Moonee Valley.
"Stardome charged home last time. He'll be back in running but he's coming up well and we think he can run in the first three. He'll back up next week over 2000m and we think he can win then." - NZ Racing Desk
