‘Horse with wings’ flies home to capture Pegasus but Neville eyeing Group One targets

Platinum Attack’s explosive speed might be exciting to watch but for co-owner Neville McAlister he still has work to do before he can be rated right up with the best horses he’s raced.

The six-year-old wowed everyone with his win in Saturday’s Pegasus Stakes at Riccarton, barging his way clear 200 metres from home and making up a seemingly impossible four-length deficit to catch Charmrose right on the post.

“He’s got wings, this horse,” commentator Matt Cross enthused after he savaged the line to record back-to-back wins in Riccarton’s 1000 metre cup week dash.

With only three horses behind him on the home turn, and held up behind La Bella Nera and Hasstobefast between the 400 and 300, jockey Bruno Queiroiz was “in all sorts of trouble”, Cross noted, before he shunted Azeezle aside at the 250 and rocketed after the leader.

With a sizzling last 200 metres, run in 11.18 seconds, Platinum Attack flew to grab a short neck decision, recording arguably the best of his 10 career wins, clocking 56.11 on the good surface.

Bruno Queiroz in jubilant mood after his dramatic win. PHOTO: Ajay Berry/Race Images.In a display seemingly acknowledging divine intervention, Queiroz promptly twice crossed his heart and pointed to the heavens, later also thanking trainer Lisa Latta for giving him the confidence to ride the horse that way.

“Bruno was worried about the 60kg weight the horse was carrying but Lisa told him she didn’t care what he did, he just had to find cover,” McAlister said.

“We watched a few earlier races where horses were getting exposed too early from wide draws and getting well beaten.

“He can carry weight but he needs to be covered up. He’s so big and strong, now that he’s matured, that he can shoulder his way out. He’s a ball of muscle - he’s built like a brick shit-house.”

It wasn’t until McAlister watched a replay on TV that he realised just how badly Platinum Attack was held up in the run home - “watching it live, it aways seemed like he was going to win.”

But while acknowledging that the Santos gelding had a turn of foot to match any of the previous winners he had raced with Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, he stopped short of labelling him the best.

“Like Ray Green (Lincoln Farms’ harness trainer) says, they all look good running past slow horses. And there was nothing in the field like the horses he faces in Group I races.

“We’ve deliberately targetted weaker races, races that are winnable.”

But Saturday’s $140,000 Stewards, like the Pegasus only a Listed race, might be the last time Platinum Attack can run in a handicap, he says. “The weight he’ll get will be colossal.

“But the Pegasus win was penalty-free and, with a good draw and luck in the run, hopefully we get the same result.”

Likely targets

After that, McAlister says, Platinum Attack will be set for rich races that are either run at set weights and penalties, or at weight-for-age, with likely targets including:

• The $140,000 Concorde (1200) at Ellerslie on January 1
• The $650,000 Group I Railway (1200) at Ellerslie on January 23
• The $450,000 Group I BDC Sprint (wfa 1400) at Te Rapa on February 6 and
• The $550,000 Group I Telegraph (wfa 1200) at Trentham on March 27.

Neville McAlister and Lisa Latta raise the Pegasus trophy, flanked by son Zane and his girlfriend Taylor Seales, with jockey Bruno Queiroz’s girlfriend, Kemilly Rodrigues at right.Only when Platinum Attack wins a Group I will McAlister elevate him up his own Hall Of Fame ladder - “he’s won a lot of races but his best is a Group III against second rate horses.

“He looks like he’s got it in him but so far bad draws and wet tracks have conspired against him doing what we think he can.

“We can’t keep drawing wide. I’d like to see him get a good draw on a dry track in the Telegraph.”

While exciting to watch, and a better horse this year, McAlister says Platinum Attack can’t be compared with their ill-fated Platinum Kingdom - “who was up to Group I company in Australia.”

And their top filly of 2014, Platinum Witness, won the Group I 1000 Guineas.

McAlister says Platinum Attack might get his chance next year to strut his stuff in Australia, where his four-year-old Platinum Pantheon, fresh from running in the A$10 million Golden Eagle, has recently clocked some phenomenal sectionals.

“We might look at Brisbane in the winter, where it is a lot easier than Sydney or Melbourne.”

But even then, McAlister says Latta’s job will be to choose the horse’s races carefully to ensure his longevity.

“Six and seven could be his best years but if we nurse him along, good sprinters can stay around until they’re nine.”

As it stands, Platinum Attack has the enviable record of $584,535 in earnings from just 26 starts.