Dee blessed to have Atishu ride

[Wandering Eyes]

Top Melbourne-based jockey Michael Dee has had the call up for dual Group One winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr.1 Orr Stakes (1400m).

Michael Dee is unsure how long his association with Atishu will last, but the top jockey is happy to team up with her in this Saturday.

The six-year-old will have her first start since winning the $750,000 Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in November at Caulfield.

The 1400-metre event will be Dee’s first ride aboard Atishu, who has been ridden to Group One success by James McDonald and Nash Rawiller, and delighted to be entrusted with the ride by champion trainer Chris Waller.

“I suppose if the likes of ‘J-Mac’, Nash and those guys could come down they would be first port of call for a ride like this, but if I’m the next one in line to be called up after that it’s a good position to be in and I’m happy to take what I can get,” Dee said.

The first of Dee’s 12 Group One wins was for Waller, aboard Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel) in the 2017 Cantala Stakes (1600m), while he has also won a Caulfield Cup (Durston), Victoria Derby (Manzoice) and Coolmore Classic (Espiona) for his fellow ex-pat New Zealander.

Dee is not sure if the Orr Stakes can be elite-level win number five, with Atishu’s only first-up win from seven attempts coming in a 1400m BM88 at her first start for Waller in August 2021, but he expects her class to carry her a long way.

“Obviously it’s a strong race and she’s first-up, but a lot of those top-line chances are first-up as well,” Dee said.

“The 1400 is probably on her sharp side, but I she’s run well first-up before over 1400m.”

Atishu’s spring campaign started with a fifth in the Gr.2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m), but she launched last year’s autumn campaign with a second placing in the Gr.2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) before winning the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m).

Dee and Atishu will start from barrier seven in the nine-horse Orr Stakes and is a $13 chance in the market headed by odds-on favourite Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars).

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