Planets align for Platinum Attack - Opie gets the reins and the forecast is good

The planets all appear to have aligned for Platinum Attack in Saturday’s $140,000 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Ellerslie.

While it proved frustrating, floating the horse from Palmerston North to Rotorua for the race last weekend only to have the meeting abandoned, it may have been a blessing in disguise.

For on Saturday, Platinum Attack looks certain to get much better track conditions, he draws well in six and gets champion rider Opie Bosson for the first time.

Trainer Lisa Latta and co-owner Neville McAlister had been worried about what surface Platinum Attack would face at Rotorua where the club irrigated 24mm of water on race eve and a horse ended up slipping.

But Ellerslie’s new StrathAyr track has consistently provided better and safe footing and, with a kind, drying forecast for the next 24 hours, it looks set to improve rapidly on this morning’s soft 6 rating.

Add to that Platinum Attack has landed a nice six gate and circumstances have led to his getting a new rider in Bosson, and McAlister is understandably keen on the horse’s chances of breaking his right-handed duck.

McAlister said with regular rider Bruno Queiroz committed to a full book of rides at Otaki on Saturday, Bosson was the first jockey they approached, knowing he had not been declared for any runner last Saturday.

“From six, he can tuck away with cover and run at them late. Hopefully the three-year-olds will run along up front at a decent clip to use their weight advantage of 50kg.”

McAlister says if you went on the stats alone, with four unplaced runs at Ellerslie, you might think Platinum Attack is not so effective going right-handed.

“The best he’s done that way round is an “assisted third” (when Alabama Lass went through the rail in the Group III Kings Plate).”

But when you consider each of the horse’s other three attempts have been in top Group I company, when fifth in the 2025 and 2026 Railway and seventh, fresh-up, in last month’s Proisir Plate, and you get a different picture.

Saturday’s Group III Sweynesse is well down in class on those features, evident from the fact Platinum Attack is the second highest rated horse on R102, only Jaarffi higher on R111.

“He hasn’t had all favours either so hopefully he’ll change that tomorrow, but he has to prove it.”

McAlister believes Platinum Attack will be fine on soft 6 or better going.

“It was called a soft 5 on Proisir Plate day and he got through it, even though he came back covered in mud.”

How Platinum Attack fares on Saturday will dictate what path Latta charts for the horse.

“If he wins he may not go to Riccarton,” McAlister said.

The Pegasus - Stewards double, which the horse has targetted at Riccarton in the last two seasons, would become less attractive if Platinum Attack had to carry more weight.

“Handicaps like those will be largely out for him - his future will be in set weights and penalty races or weight-for-age races.”

The $140,000 Concorde (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 1 is a likely alternative as it is run at set weights and penalties.