Group I goals for Platinum Attack after he gives Grylls an armchair ride in Pegasus

Platinum Attack served notice on the country’s top sprinters with his electric win at Riccarton on Saturday, trainer Lisa Latta predicting the powerful sprinter is up to winning a Group I race.

In his first start for seven months, and literally bouncing off the walls with freshness, Platinum Attack unleashed his trademark paralysing burst in the Pegasus to reel in pacemaker Azeezle and clear out to a two-length win.

And clocking 55.25 for the 1000 metres, just a second outside the New Zealand record, and ripping home from the 600 in a sizzling 31 and a piece, came so easily to the horse, according to jockey Craig Grylls.

“I should probably give the riding fee back as I didn’t have to do much,” Grylls said.

Co-owner Neville McAlister and his partner Rochelle Dudding get a post-race rundown from jockey Craig Grylls after Platinum Attack’s Pegasus annihilation. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.But co-owner Neville McAlister, who races Platinum Attack with Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, said Grylls did his job perfectly.

“I knew the race would be won and lost in the first 600 metres, the key was getting him to relax.

“Craig didn’t dig him out, just found cover and got him into a rhythm.”

Platinum Attack was so fresh on Saturday, Latta took no risks with him, with two staff on the bridle in the birdcage and a barrier attendant leading him before the jump to ensure he didn’t get away.

It had been a month since his exceptional trial, not the two weeks as planned, after another trial meeting was called off at Awapuni, and Latta said the horse had been “scarily well” in the last two weeks.

“Lisa was confident he was on the money,” McAlister said.

Saturday’s Listed feature took Platinum Attack’s bankroll to $254,985 in just the 16th start of his career, a deliberate plan to give him the time he needed to develop.

“We’ve been patient with him. He was always a year away last season, pretty immature, but now as a five-year-old he’s come to it.”

Saturday’s performance also underlined just how exceptional the Santos gelding is on good footing, his record tainted by soft tracks last season.

Stable foreman Jerram Wall and Rochelle Dudding lead in Platinum Attack. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.It was only the second time that he had struck good 3 ground after his Trentham domination in December, 2024, when he trounced Bedtime Story in 1:07.3 for 1200 metres.

Trentham on January 3 will hopefully be Platinum Attack’s first big Group I goal when the $550,000 TAB Telegraph (wfa 1200m) is run.

And after that, on January 24, he will tilt at the $700,000 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie, a race in which he ran a brave fifth last year, just a length from winner Crocetti when challenging in the worst of the rain-affected ground.

But first, McAlister would like to see Platinum Attack back up with another topline performance in Saturday’s $140,000 Stewards.

He did not miss the late charge from Slipper Island into fourth on Saturday and said a stronger field could be expected.

McAlister’s promising three-year-old Platinum Pantheon is also expected to race again, after he made mince meat of his rating 65 opposition on Saturday, exploding to a one and three-quarter win over older rivals in 1:08.83.