Awapuni gelding Platinum Pantheon will fly New Zealand’s flag in Saturday’s Gr.1 Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick, and his chances have been aided after drawing barrier two on Tuesday.
The Stephen Marsh-trained Well Written was leading the Kiwi charge towards the A$10 million feature, however, her campaign was curtailed after spiking a temperature earlier this month, leaving Platinum Pantheon as New Zealand’s sole contender.
The four-year-old son of Hanseatic kicked off his campaign in pleasing fashion when runner-up at Randwick earlier this month before returning to the Sydney track a fortnight later where he finished 10th in the A$1 million Listed Silver Eagle (1300m).
Trainer Lisa Latta was contemplating a trip to Melbourne next week to line up at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, however, after it looked like he would make the Golden Eagle field, those plans were swiftly changed.
“He was going to carry 60 kilos in Melbourne, so it wasn’t an ideal race for him either,” Latta said. “He has settled in well in Sydney and when it looked like we were going to make the field we thought we may as well have a crack.”
Latta was over the moon to draw a handy alley and said her gelding will get every opportunity from barrier two, with Andrew Adkins aboard.
“I am rapt to get a decent draw finally,” she said. “I think a decent draw is going to be a big assist.”
Latta has received positive reports on Platinum Pantheon since his Silver Eagle run and said he pleased in his track gallop yesterday morning.
“He galloped well on Tuesday, I am really happy with him, so hopefully he can bounce back,” she said.
While stablemate Manzor Blue’s Melbourne Cup dreams have been dashed after failing to secure a golden ticket into the race in last Saturday’s Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m), she will chase a consolation prize in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Champions Stakes Day.
“It doesn’t look like she is going to make the Melbourne Cup field, so we will probably run in the Queen Elizabeth on the last day,” Latta said.
“With her paying up for the Melbourne Cup, there is a bonus for the Queen Elizabeth, and it is a Group race, and she probably needs a bit of Australian black-type.”
While Manzor Blue finished 13th in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Latta said the race wasn’t run to suit and she is hoping for a more genuine pace in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday week.
“They walked and sprinted and she usually hits a flat spot at the 600m, and Mick (Dee, jockey) said she didn’t hit it until about the 250 because they had just gone so slow and she was still travelling up so well turning in. Then she came out of her flat spot, which she always gets, and finished it off strong.
“Her sectionals were pretty good. The last 200m I think she was about the third fastest in the race.”
Meanwhile, Platinum La Danse put in a brave performance when runner-up to Sword Of Stars in last Saturday’s Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton, and Latta is now looking forward to returning to the Christchurch track in two weeks to contest the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
“She is just gutsy, she tries so hard,” Latta said. “She was a victim of circumstances, caught three wide.”
Platinum La Danse is currently at $26 in the TAB’s futures market for the 1000 Guineas, which is headed by Asturia at $1.90.
Latta will take a dozen runners to Otaki on Saturday and will hold a strong hand in the Cavallo Farms & Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (1400m), where she will be represented by last-start Group Three placegetter Amazing Son, Group Three performer Connello, multiple stakes winner Platinum Diamond and Belzoni. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
