Go Racing’s multiple Group One winner Atishu will kick-off what they are hoping will be a lucrative spring preparation at Randwick on Saturday in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m).
The daughter of Savabeel was a standout last spring, finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m) and Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) before winning the Group 1 Champions Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Champions Day.
Following her autumn preparation, which included victory in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) and placings in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) and Group 1 Queen of the Turf (1600m), she was earmarked to be sold as a broodmare proposition, however, a vote amongst her owners has extended her racing career into another season.
“We entered her in the Magic Millions sale,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt said. “There was a lot of discussion around whether the owners wanted to sell her or not. In the end we put it to a vote and there was a clear majority that wanted to race her on for another season, so that is what we have done. Hopefully it is a decision that pays off.
“She is a multiple Group One winner in Australia, so she has got a good value on her and will be sold as a broodmare at some stage.”
Until then, her owners are hoping to have plenty of fun with her over the next season, which will kick off in the Winx Stakes on Saturday, where she will be ridden by Tyler Schiller from barrier 10.
The seven-year-old mare trialled over 900m at Rosehill earlier this month, and Allnutt said trainer Chris Waller is pleased with her ahead of her first-up target.
“Her trials indicate that she has come back really well,” Allnutt said. “She is probably going to need the run on Saturday, there might be a few in there that are a bit more forward than her. She has drawn wide, so she is going to need a bit of luck as well, but it is not an overly big field, which will help.
“She is coming up really well and has hopefully got a nice season in front of her, with plenty of Group One targets hopefully.”
Following her first-up run, Atishu will head to Melbourne next month where she will tackle the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), and she is set to return to the venue in November to try and replicate her feats from last year’s Melbourne Cup week.
“She will go to the Makybe Diva next and at this stage she will go to Melbourne Cup Week,” Allnutt said. “She just grows another leg at Flemington, she absolutely loves it there. She has performed well at that venue in the past, so it is a good option and a good way forward.”