Atishu aims for fairytale finish in Queen of the Turf Stakes at Randwick

Atishu will have her final start in Saturday's Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick. Photo / Bruno Cannatelli

• Atishu aims for a fourth Group One win in the Queen of the Turf Stakes.
• Go Racing’s Tajanis will compete in the Sydney Cup, jumping from barrier 19.
• Velocious targets the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes after a successful return at Te Aroha.

Multiple Group One winner Atishu will attempt a fairytale ending to her racing career when she heads to Randwick on Saturday to contest the Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m).

The daughter of Savabeel, who is raced by New Zealand syndicator Go Racing, will bid to add a fourth Group One crown to her record, and second in the race, before she goes to Magic Millions’ Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale next month.

“It will be a day of mixed emotions with this being her swansong,” Go Racing general manager Matt Allnutt said.

“It brings the curtain down on what has been a fantastic career. There have been a lot of friendships formed [within her syndicate] and we have all really enjoyed the ride.”

The Queen of the Turf holds fond memories for her connections, having won the race two years ago before finishing runner-up last year, and she will reunite with 2023 winning hoop Nash Rawiller this weekend.

“Nash rode her in this race two years ago when she won it. She drew barrier one on that day and she has drawn barrier two on Saturday,” Allnutt said.

“She loves the race and she races well at Randwick. Chris [Waller, trainer] is more than happy with her, dropping back to the 1600m suits, and I think the race maps well for her.

“Fairytales do happen in racing and let’s hope we see another one on Saturday.”

Go Racing’s silks will also feature at Randwick in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m), with Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) runner-up Tajanis set to jump from barrier 19 on Saturday for Waller, who is still in search of a jockey for the gelding who will carry a featherweight of 50kg.

“He came through the Auckland Cup well and he was probably unlucky not to have won on that day,” Allnutt said.

“He got back to Australia and never turned a hair, he maintained a good appetite and his work has been good.

“He had an exhibition gallop last week and worked really nicely. Chris is more than happy with him going into the race, but he is obviously going to need luck from that draw.

“He is going to get back, but he warms into his races the further he goes and once he is relaxed and settled he will travel along nicely and then it’s a matter of building into the race at the right time and hopefully have him in a challenging position at the top of the straight.”

Atishu is currently sitting at $6 with TAB bookmakers, behind Fangirl ($2.25) and Stefi Magnetica ($5.50), while Tajanis is rated a $26 winning prospect.

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In New Zealand, Go Racing is looking forward to a potential Australian campaign with last season’s New Zealand Champion juvenile Velocious, who returned to her form of old when winning first-up following a wind operation at Te Aroha last month.

“I was that nervous ahead of that race,” Allnutt said of the Stephen Marsh-trained filly. “We had Atishu in a Group One on the same day, but I was more nervous about Velocious. Her trials pointed that she had come back well, but you just never know until raceday.

“To see her building in the straight and putting in those long strides was just so pleasing. We are thrilled to have her back.

“On the 26th of April she will go through to the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m). We did consider taking her straight over to Australia, but we really want to see her do similar to what she did last start again and if she can come out and race well, and hopefully win, we will certainly be looking across the Tasman.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk