Atishu Ready to Go Racing in 2025

Media Release - Tuesday February 11

Multiple Group One winner Atishu will kick-off what will likely be her last racing campaign when she heads to Randwick on Saturday to contest what is shaping to be a very competitive Gr.2 Apollo Stakes (1400m).

Raced by New Zealand syndicator Go Racing, the seven-year-old mare has had two trials in the lead-up to her first-up target and Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt said he has received positive reports from trainer Chris Waller.

Multiple Group One winner Atishu will kick-off her new campaign in Saturday's Gr.2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick - image Grant Courtney

“Chris got her going a bit earlier than he has in recent campaigns,” Allnutt said. “He has been really happy with her work and her trials have been good.

“She will need this run on Saturday and then she will be a lot more forward than she has been previously second-up.

“It is going to be a great race on Saturday.”

Flemington elite-level targets await Atishu following the weekend, and Allnutt is looking forward to returning to the Melbourne track where she has had so much success.

Her Flemington victories include the Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m), Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) and Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m), while she has also placed in the Champions Stakes, Empire Rose Stakes and Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m).

“She will go to the All-Star Mile (Gr.1, 1600m) and then the Australian Cup, that’s the plan at this stage,” Allnutt said.

“This is more than likely going to be her last season of racing, so it is all about maximising her value and winning as many Group Ones as we can.”

Advertisement

Purchased by Go Racing out of Waikato Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale for $260,000, Atishu has gone on to win 11 races, three at Group One level, and earned more than A$5.5 million in prizemoney.

“She has just been a marvel for us all the way through,” Allnutt said. “She is now a triple Group One winner, she has been a great horse for us and the syndicate love her.”

Meanwhile, the Go Racing team were pleased to see their Group One-winning filly Velocious carry their silks to victory in her 800m trial at Ellerslie on Tuesday.

The winner of last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) underwent a wind operation late last year and has been making a pleasing return for trainer Stephen Marsh.

“We are really happy. We have taken her along slowly after the wind operation,” Allnutt said. “Today was a step in the right direction. She probably knocked up a bit late today, but Rory (Hutchings, jockey) said she felt great, her breathing was good and she felt nice and strong under saddle. We are very encouraged with what we saw today.”

No set plans have yet been made for the daughter of Written Tycoon, who will have one more trial before making her raceday return.

“She will have one more trial now in a fortnight’s time and she will be more forward for that and then safely through that we will start thinking about where she is going to go and what we are going to do,” Allnutt said.

“If she can come back to somewhere near what she was as a two-year-old, she will be more than competitive in black-type racing again.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Third G1 Win for Star Savabeel Mare Atishu
A year after flying home for second behind Pride Of Jenni in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), Go Racing’s pin-up girl Atishu(NZ) (Savabeel) returned to Flemington on Saturday and went one better for the Kiwi syndicators.
Go Racing Ready to Farewell Atishu
After 10 wins, more than $4 million in stakes and three seasons of putting Go Racing’s name in lights in Australia, the Kiwi syndicators’ remarkable ride with Atishu is set to come to an end in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queen of the Turf (1600m) at Randwick.
First Local Win As New Endeavour (IRE) Records Stakes Success
While it may have taken the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained New Endeavour (IRE) a while to record his first Australian success, connections were rewarded for their patience as the 5yo dominated under Tim Clark to win the Group 3 BRC Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm.
All Star Mile or Australian Cup for Atishu?
Multiple Group One winning mare Atishu has claimed a berth in the A$4 million All-Star Mile (1600m) with a strong victory in the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
New Classic Prospect and New Aussie 2YO Winner for Wootton Bassett
The Group III JRA Derby Trial (2000m) at Baden Baden in Germany overnight produced a new stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett (GB) with lightly raced colt Juwelier staking a claim for classic success.
When in Doubt Back a Frankel!
The $200,000 Listed ATC Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m ) at Rosehill on Saturday attracted a competitive field of 14 stayers, the bulk of them imports and when you strike an open race like that it’s often wise to follow this piece of advice – when in doubt back a Frankel!
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 31
Here is the full list of 116 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Three Straight Stakes Wins For Cool Aza Beel’s Cool Archie
With no two-year-old currently performing better in Queensland, the Chirs and Corey Munce trained Cool Archie continued his outstanding form, taking out the $1m Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), his third consecutive black type victory.
Kiwi Bred Campaldino Wins G3 for Darby
Promising New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino passed his biggest test with flying colours at Eagle Farm on Saturday, stepping up to stakes company and adding the A$200,000 Gr.3 Living Turf Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) to his winning sequence.
Kiwi Bred Atishu Set to Shine Again at Flemington
Group One-winning mare Atishu will be seeking redemption in Saturday’s Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington after finishing runner-up in the race last year to Pride of Jenni.