It’s the end of an era for New Zealand syndicator Go Racing after they parted company with their multiple Group One-winning mare Atishu on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
They initially purchased her out of Waikato Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $260,000 and she went on to take her syndicate members on the ride of a lifetime.
Initially in the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, the daughter of Savabeel won four and placed in four of her nine starts in New Zealand, including victories in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) and Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m).
She was then transferred to leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller, for whom she won an additional seven races, including the Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m), Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m).
She bowed out with a third placing in the Queen of the Turf last month, having accrued nearly A$6 million in stakes for her connections.
“It has been an amazing ride,” syndicate member Graham Walling said. “Everybody wishes they can get a Group One winner, and to have her win three and race at the top level in the Flemington Carnival and put in a fantastic effort every year (was great). The last three years she has won across that carnival, and she goes on now to hopefully a successful broodmare career, and we will watch with interest.”
Atishu was offered at the Magic Millions’ National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast this week and was purchased by Yulong Investments for A$2.7 million.
“Mr Zhang (Yulong principal) was really impressed when he saw her, she is a beautiful type, so it is great to have her join the broodmare band,” Yulong’s chief operating officer Sam Fairgray told Racing.com.
“She has been one of those mares that has been very consistent and ran in all of the good races. It is great to have a three-time Group One-winning mare and she gets in there with some lovely other blue hens.
“She will go straight to the breeding barn and probably go to Alabama (Express, resident stallion), I think it is a really nice cross and physically they are well suited.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
