Racing: Rich Aussie options for Kiwi mare Atishu after brilliant win at Randwick

Atishu won at Randwick on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand mare Atishu has some of the richest races in Australia on her programme after a brilliant Randwick win on Saturday.

Atishu landed some big bets, including one by a Kiwi punter who plonked $7000 on her at $4.80, when she won fresh-up in Sydney for new trainer Chris Waller, almost doubling her career earnings with one run.

Waller was quick to praise former trainer Stephen Marsh who developed Atishu into a black-type winner last season and sent her to Sydney in prime condition and while it was only a BM88 race over 1400m on Saturday, Atishu won like a horse who deserves grander targets.

She has them, but managing owner Albert Bosma of Go Racing syndications says Atishu will have to show him and Waller what her most potent distance is going to be to help clarify her goals.

"On one hand we have a race like the Caulfield Cup over 2400m or we have races like the Epsom [1600m] or the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle [1500m] in Sydney," says Bosma.

"The plan is to race her over 1500m in two weeks and see how she goes. If she races a bit dour maybe we look to step up to 2000m or the Caulfield Cup but if she is sharp then Chris has the option to keep her in Sydney, keep her fresh and look at the other two races.

"It is great to have a horse who has all those options and we know there is a lot of improvement in her which is what makes it so exciting she could win like that on Saturday.

"It is 60-40 she stays in Sydney for the shorter races."

While Atishu arrived in Australia with a big reputation after some sizzling sectionals during a treble of wins at Riccarton in the autumn, South Island form is often questioned. However, Bosma says there was an obvious reason Atishu headed south.

"She had slight shin soreness last spring that stopped her having a shot at the best races so we went south to ensure she got some black-type against her name because you never know what can happen with horses.

"Stephen did a super job with her but a horse of this class was always going to be given her chance in Australia because that is where the money is."

Races like the Caulfield Cup, for which Atishu is $34, and the Golden Eagle ($26) are the targets of dreams, but she has a huge array of big-money targets she can be aimed at, while any Australian black-type would add enormously to her broodmare value.