Trainer has Group One faith in Atacama

Shaune Ritchie is confident a fit and healthy Atacama has the quality to break through at the top level.

The Cambridge trainer’s opinion will be put to the test this autumn with the Gr.1 Fiber Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes the top goal for the Pentire mare.

“We have to space her runs three or four weeks apart as she hasn’t got the best feet and if it wasn’t for that I’m sure she would be a Group One mare by now,” Ritchie said.

“It would be foolish to send her around on the hard tracks and with the sting out of the ground in the autumn she should be very competitive.”

Atacama has Listed wins in the Matamata Cup and in the Cup Day Plate at Flemington on her CV, as well as a runner-up finish in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes at Te Rapa.

She was a respectable last-start eighth, after missing the jump, in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile on New Year’s Day.

“At this stage she’ll run in the Westbury Classic at Ellerslie – that’s the likely kick off point or at Te Rapa 10 days later and then on to the Breeders’ Stakes,” Ritchie said.

“Her record fresh is impeccable and she’ll just have a three race campaign culminating in the Travis Stakes.”

Ritchie’s current stable line-up is dominated by younger talent and he continued to build for the future at Karaka last month.

He was one of the more active local buyers with four Premier Sale purchases, including the $290,000 daughter of Street Cry and his triple Group One winner Keep The Peace.

“Most of the horses I bought were for local clients and it’s nice to know they will be racing here,” Ritchie said

“We’ve been a bit quieter this year, but we’ve had a few nice trial winners recently so that’s exciting and the autumn is looking good.”