Atishu chalked up her second group 1 success when she lived up to last Saturday’s form by winning the Champions Stakes (G1) at Flemington.
What a race!
The Group 1 TAB Champions Stakes goes to ATISHU in an epic edition over the 2000m.
📽 @10SportAU | #StakesDay pic.twitter.com/itdXp6YU4F
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 11, 2023
Last weekend, the Chris Waller-trained 6-year-old came the closest to tearaway leader Pride Of Jenni in the Empire Rose Stakes (G1), eventually finishing a length adrift in second.
And Saturday—40 minutes after Pride Of Jenni proved that win no fluke by claiming the Champions Mile—Atishu stepped up to 2000 meters and flew home for an imperious length-and-three-quarter victory in the $3 million Champions Stakes.
Having taken her first elite-level race in April’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes (G1) at Randwick, the mare bred by Savabeel’s Waikato Stud took her prize-money to AUS$3.7 million by sealing her biggest payday with the AUS$1.8 million first prize.
A slight firmer into $8.50, Atishu was settled eighth from barrier five by jockey James McDonald while a brisk pace was set by veteran Zaaki and then British raider West Wind Blows, who was set alight around the field by Jamie Spencer to take over at the 1400-meter mark.
While West Wind Blows weakened to finish ninth, Zaaki ran fourth and another on-pacer Prowess made little ground up the inside in coming sixth, Atishu flew home to provide McDonald with his 85th group 1 win.
She and McDonald denied Damien Oliver a group 1 win on his last day at a Flemington Cup carnival. The retiring great had to be content with second aboard another 6-year-old mare, the Ed Cummings-trained Duais, who’d been midfield on the fence in her first run in the colors of new owner Yulong Stud.
“Relief,” he said of Atishu’s win. “We’ve had a quiet week. We ran second and third in the Cup and to get a win on the last day—this day has gone from strength to strength.
“I think she should have won a group 1 on the first day—we all think that as owners and trainers when they don’t win. (But) to see Pride Of Jenni come out and blow them way in the race before (Atishu’s) I guess that gave us a little bit of confidence.
“Winning any race this week is special, but that was something special.”
Atishu was bought by Albert Bosma’s Go Racing for NZ$260,000 from Waikato Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft.
Out of dual winner Posy (No Excuses Needed), Atishu is a sister to group 3 winner Mazzolino. Posy, herself a sister to former champion New Zealand 3-year-old and multiple group 1 winner Daffodil.
