Connections of Dynamic Australian Sprinter ATOMIC FORCE winner of New Year Day's Railway Stakes have taken a few days to see how their dual Group 1 winner rebounded after it's astonishing win at Ellerslie before determining their next move.
"Everything depended on how the horse pulled up, as simple as that" Dean Watt of Dynamic Syndications said. "We had several options to consider including flying him home on Saturday 7/1 to run in one of 2 eligible races on the Magic Millions Day on the Gold Coast, stay in NZ to run in the J&N Burkett Telegraph Stakes Gr1 or alternatively head to the paddock for a well deserved spell."
Trainer Darren Smith reported to the owners how thrilled he was with the way ATOMIC FORCE was the following morning. He said "he looks terrific, he licked his tin out and is as bright as a button we could throw a saddle on him and race again today he looks that good."
ATOMIC FORCE relaxing at Cambridge 24 hours after Railway win.
This glowing endorsement of the condition of ATOMIC FORCE post race was very encouraging however it was still up to the horse how he was responding 3 days later. This morning the Aussie sprinter was bucking his brands off having had a few easy days and went for a light trot and canter and swim. "he appears as good today as he was in the lead up to the Railway" Smith reported to Dynamic Syndications Racing Manager Dean Watt.
Watt said a lengthy conversation he had with the NZ Racing Handicapper on Wednesday swayed his opinion as to which way we headed. We had to weigh up a lot of things especially going to a left handed track which is basically one long straight at Trentham is totally different to the tight turning right handed tracks of his last few starts.
We also needed a handle on what the opposition form lines were like especially as this is a Handicap not a Set Weights and Penalties.
We find 8 time Gr1 winner Mufhasa (17 wins) at Trentham and we also meet the Kiwi boom horse Durham Town what is likely to be about 4.0 kgs worse in this race so there is a lot to consider especially as we are ready to head to the paddock. However you don't get the opportunity to run in Gr1 races every day and he has already seen most opponents in battle and the belief is the Trentham layout is far more forgiving than Ellerslie.
Still it was the horse that comes first and ATOMIC FORCE by his body language is telling us he's ready to go so we will not deny him. Win loose or draw he's in the paddock after Trentham and will not race in the Autumn but be save for the Spring.
Nash Rawiller was excited to hear the news and very keen to fly back to NZ and ride ATOMIC FORCE at Trentham on Saturday 21/1. He's a genuine Gr1 horse in fantastic form and I am keen to keep the relationship going with the horse and owners Nash said.