Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Bred by Waikato Stud, Atishu (NZ) was taken to the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale where she caught the eye of New Zealand syndication company Go Racing who had already enjoyed big race success with the Savabeel breed.
Racing the 2017 G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo (NZ) for whom they paid NZ$110,000 (and who fetched NZ$670,000 as a broodmare), the Go Racing team liked what they saw when inspecting Atishu as a yearling.
“She was a nice, athletic Savabeel - very much in the style of the Savabeels, like Hasahalo, who we have had luck with,” Go Racing Racing Manger Matt Allnutt said.
Secured for NZ$260,000, Atishu took a little while to break through; always showing ability but remaining a maiden after her debut campaign - one in which she was three times placed from four starts.
It would be at the second run of her second campaign that she would breakthrough, lifting late to win a 1400-metre contest at Pukekohe Park in March 2021. It was all up from there, Atishu winning her next three including two in Listed company.
It was one of those wins - the Listed Inglewood S. at Riccarton that Allnutt looks back upon with particular fondness.
“Leading into the race we thought we might see something special and after winning that race by 7l we knew we had something.”
Something good enough to head to Australia where she was placed in the care of Chris Waller, kicking off her Sydney career with an impressive performance at in a 1400-metre BM88 at Randwick in August 2021 - overcoming trouble in running to put 1.25l on her rivals.
Luckless when fourth at the same track next time out, she atoned when stepping up in class and taking out the G3 Bill Ritchie S. Things did not go right (track conditions/slow starts/interference) for the remainder of that campaign and the following did not start well with further tardy beginnings.
“She had that quirky period where she was missing the start,” Allnutt recalled, happy with those issues were resolved when she re-found form over the winter of 2022 - back to her very best that spring when recording a two length victory in the G2 Matriarch S. at Flemington.
The following April the G1 Queen Of The Turf S. was added and she again found elite level form last spring - after running the in-form Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) to a length in the G1 Empire Rose S., she backed up a week later, racing away from Duais (Shamus Award) in the G1 Champion (Mackinnon) S.
Atishu (NZ) races away in the G1 Champion S. | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Quickly into form this time in, Atishu got too far back when resuming in the G1 C.F Orr S. but was closer to the action and just too good in the G2 Blamey S. in early March.
Making it ten wins from 39 starts with a prizemoney tally in excess of $3.9 million.
And there is more to come with the G1 Australian Cup the immediate target followed by a Sydney campaign with the G1 Queen Of The Turf S. or the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. on the radar.
Whatever she does there, Atishu has already been a great mare for connections with Allnutt saying that “she has taken us on a helluva ride and we thought that whilst she is at the peak of her powers and in the peak of her value we would do the right thing by her.”
“She (Atishu) has taken us on a helluva ride and we thought that whilst she is at the peak of her powers and in the peak of her value we would do the right thing by her.” - Matt Allnutt
In finding a great home via the sales - Atishu bound to create plenty of interest and bound to end up visiting a leading stallion.
Especially as she is, Allnutt said, an ideal broodmare type.
“She is a lovely mare whose temperament holds her in good steed. And she has been sound all the way through.”
Matt Allnutt | Image courtesy of Go Racing
Atishu's 15 owners have, Allnutt noted, become close during their racing journey - something he takes great pleasure out of.
“As syndicators we really like to see people bonding over a good horse,” he said.
Allnutt's cohort at Go Racing - Albert Bosma - agreed and he is excited about Atishu's remaining runs, describing her as “a very special horse.”
“Right from day one she showed she was going to have an exciting future as she was able to run amazing sectionals. Her Group 1 wins have come in high-class races in Sydney and Melbourne and she was the clear winner on both occasions.”
Beating home some very nice types too - the likes of Duais, Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), Prowess (NZ) (Proisir), Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) and West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).
“The most important thing is, considering the form she is racing in, she will be able to head to the breeding barn with plenty in reserve,” Bosma said - “that is important to us.”
Bosma said it would be an emotional time as Atishu makes her way through the ring as part of the Chris Waller Racing draft.
“There will be mixed emotions for sure. She has provided us with so many thrills. It will be sad to see her leave the team, but we are also excited about what the future will hold for her and being able to see what she can produce.”
“It will be sad to see her (Atishu) leave the team, but we are also excited about what the future will hold for her and being able to see what she can produce.” - Albert Bosma
“Atishu is a wonderful prospect and we are honoured to have been entrusted to offer her at the National Sale,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
“She has been a star for her connections and we thank the Go Racing team for this amazing opportunity.”
Atishu is one of the 142 stakes winners and 33 Group 1 winners for her G1 WS Cox Plate and G1 Spring Champion S.-winning sire, a Waikato Stud-based son of the mighty Zabeel (NZ).
Bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Nureyev (USA), Atishu is a well-named daughter of the two-time winning No Excuse Needed (GB) mare Posy (NZ), sister to the New Zealand Champion 3-Year-Old Daffodil (NZ) whose three wins at Group 1-level include the AJC Oaks.
Atishu (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Served last spring by Ardrossan having slipped her two previous foals, Posy has as her most recent foal the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained 3-year-old Dream All Day (NZ) (Savabeel) who has been placed in a couple of jump-outs.
Also dam of the G3 Desert Gold S. winner Mazzolino - also by Savabeel, Posy hails from the same family as the recent very impressive G1 New Zealand Derby winner Orchestral (NZ) (also by Savabeel).
Champion New Zealand 3-Year-Old Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) is another member of this prolific family, which has as its ancestress the high-class UK broodmare Felucca (GB) (Nearco {Ity}).
Savabeel is already faring well as a broodmare sire, his daughters producing 26 stakes winners including the Group 1 winners Savatoxl (Kuroshio), Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Never Been Kissed (NZ) (Tivaci).
“Atishu hails from one of New Zealand’s great families on the rise,” Bowditch said.
“Orchestral is one of the most exciting prospects to come out of New Zealand and recent years and Waikato Stud have Mazzolino (served last spring by Super Seth), so you know the family is only going to be bred up to keep appreciating over the years to come.”
“You know the family is only going to be bred up to keep appreciating over the years to come.” - Barry Bowditch
“The National Broodmare Sale is the undisputed leading auction of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere,” he continued - “providing prospective buyers wonderful opportunities across all levels of the market.”
“We will have a truly world class line up of race fillies and mares as well as broodmares catalogued for the Gold Coast.”
