Latta on the Attack in Riccarton features

[Wandering Eyes]

Lisa Latta is often a force to be reckoned with when she takes her horses to Riccarton for New Zealand Cup Week and hopes this year will be no exception.

The Awapuni horsewoman will look to add another Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m) and Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) to her mantelpiece on Saturday, with key hopes in Platinum Attack and Connello engaged in the feature races.

A five-year-old by Santos, Platinum Attack has won two of three attempts at the 1000m trip, his only defeat coming when running blistering sectionals into sixth in last year’s Pegasus. He went on to finish fifth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) and Gr.1 Railway (1200m) against the best of the country’s sprinters, and just missed when runner-up in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) in autumn.

Platinum Attack asserted his favouritism with a sharp trial win at Awapuni last month, boosted by the services of leading hoop Craig Grylls.

“He has been set for this, he’s just been looking for those better tracks,” Latta said.

“Even though they said it was a heavy track at Awapuni, it played way better than that. He has a good turn of foot on a good track, that’s for sure.”

As she did last year, Latta intends to back the gelding up in next Saturday’s Listed Lindauer Stewards Stakes (1200m).

Breeders’ contender Connello is no stranger to the big Riccarton circuit, having travelled down on three separate occasions including for last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), where she finished fifth behind race rival Captured By Love.

The daughter of Time Test picked up where she left off this term as a four-year-old, placing in the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders Stakes (1400m) before a tough trip for fifth last start at Trentham.

Also to be ridden by Grylls, Connello will carry the same silks worn by Latta’s 2022 victor Belclare.

“She’s got a really nice draw to utilise and a top jockey on,” Latta said.

“She drew wide at Wellington and that track was definitely a bit tricky, and she had a bit of weight to carry there as well. I think she looks well placed here.”

Their stablemate Platinum Pantheon has been based at Riccarton over the past three weeks after a stunning maiden win at Ashburton, setting him up nicely for in the Scenic Hotel Group Premier (1200m).

“He’s been at Andrew Carston’s and he’s been really happy with him, he’s drawn wide (12) again so we’ll have to see how he jumps and go from there,” Latta said.

Latta’s focus will turn to Tauherenikau on Sunday, where progressive staying mare Manzor Blue takes her place in the Wrights Cabins and Construction R75 (1600m).

“I’d expect her to be right in the mix of it again, it’s not the strongest of fields and she is a lovely mare that has shown a fair bit,” Latta said.

“We decided to give her another mile before we stepped her up over ground.”

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