Atmospheric delivers stakes win for new trainer Pertab

In-form gelding Atmospheric was in rarefied air at Otaki on Friday when he broke through for a deserved maiden stakes victory in the Listed Jennian Homes ANZAC Mile (1600m).

The four-year-old son of El Roca has been knocking on the door for some time, winning three of his previous 15 starts, and ran fourth in last year’s Gr.3 Championship Stakes (2100m), and he earned another crack at black-type when winning over 1500m at Ellerslie three weeks ago.

From his ace barrier, he was only fair away on Friday, but jockey George Rooke stoked him up to regain his deficit to sit in the trail behind local hope Riverplate.

The speed was on throughout and Atmospheric looked a major danger when turning for home, with Rooke steering him into a gap outside the leader and he quickly hit the front.

Favourite punters began to form an orderly queue at the tote window, but Freddie Time had other ideas and began to close late, however, his momentum was interrupted when he had to be balanced up and Atmospheric maintained his advantage to win by 1-3/4 lengths over the Southland gelding.

Trainer Kurtis Pertab was pleased with the performance of his stable newcomer, and he was rapt to be able to secure a black-type result.

“He was away a bit slow, but it was a good ride, he was a lot handier than he tends to race,” Pertab said. “He is a horse that has always had a lot of ability and he rightfully gets his black-type success.”