Atishu (NZ) Enhances with Australian Group Three

Already a spectacular multiple stakes winner on home soil, super-talented Karaka graduate Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) has crossed the Tasman and picked up right where she left off. 

The $260,000 Karaka 2019 Book 1 purchase added Saturday’s A$160,000 Group Three Bill Ritchie Handicap (1600m) at Randwick to her collection, and she has now impressively won two of her three starts in Sydney. Overall, the exciting mare has scored in six of her 12 starts and earned more than A$236,000 for the Go Racing Ring A Ring Syndicate.

Atishu was ridden by Tim Clark on Saturday for new trainer Chris Waller, and she jumped well from the starting gate and soon took up a handy position in third.

Clark pushed the button in the straight and Atishu steadily warmed into her work, reeling in the leaders and surging to the lead. Looks Like Elvis (All American) gave his all to try to stay with her, but Atishu was too strong and held him out by a half-neck.

“With a small field, it was always going to be a tactical race,” Clark said. “The pace came out of the race early on.

 “She was able to adapt well. I always felt she was going to be really strong late, she’d had a couple of runs and she was coming back in trip slightly, so she really toughed it out well. She’s had three runs here in Australia for Chris and she hasn’t put a foot wrong, so she’s heading in the right direction.”

Victory in last year’s Bill Ritchie Handicap was a springboard to Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) success for outstanding fellow Karaka graduate Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), and Waller is keen to follow a similar path with Atishu next month.

“We had her drop back to 1400 metres third-up today, so we rode her a lot closer,” Waller said. “Hence the reason she was a bit one-paced at the 300 metres, but gee, I liked the way she fought all the way to the line.

“Now we know we’re in the Epsom field with a light weight, so she will be well placed there. An extra 200 metres, the tough Randwick mile – we’re on track.”