High profile jockey Craig Williams is talking up the chances of Atmospherical in the Group 1 $400,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Craig Williams is giving Atmospherical a good chance in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Williams has only had one ride on Atmospherical and was impressed with the mare’s third behind smart sprinters Chautauqua and Flamberge in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 14.
“She ran really well the other day,” Williams told the Herald Sun.
“She was really fresh and she had a run around Caulfield which was really important.”
Atmospherical settled just behind the leading group in the Rubiton Stakes and held her own going to the line to hold on for third behind Chautauqua and Flamberge who fought out a tight finish.
Williams believes that run at Caulfield will be of great benefit for the four year old when she lines up in a maximum field of eighteen on Saturday.
The Northern Meteor mare will get a nice run just behind the pace again from barrier four and Williams will be hoping for a lot of luck in the straight when he is looking to get some clear running.
Atmospherical has earned $329,950 in prizemoney for her connections from six wins and three thirds from eleven starts and was in fine form in the Spring with two wins before being sent for a break.
After winning in restricted class over 1100m at Rosehill on October 25, trainer David Pfieffer took the mare to Melbourne where she finished too strongly for Consorting and Straight Gold to win the Listed $150,000 Dilmah Earl Grey Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on November 6.
Atmospherical will be up against Flamberge again who is one of two Peter Moody trained sprinters in the Oakleigh Plate.
Flamberge with Vlad Duric in the saddle will need plenty of luck from barrier seventeen while A Time For Julia is certain to be given a perfect run by Glen Boss coming out of gate three.
Speedsters Sistine Demon (barrier 9) and Lord Of The Sky (barrier 7) are certain to go hard from their midfield gates and last start winners Vain Queen and Shamal Wind are likely to get a good run in the middle of the pack.
Last year’s Blue Diamond winner Earthquake (Chad Schofield, barrier 11) is resuming and has been primed for her 2015 Autumn Carnival debut with two recent barrier trial wins at Cranbourne.
