Platinum Machine revs up with Trentham romp and black type races now the target

Progressive filly Platinum Machine will chase black type races after her commanding win at Trentham today - but it has yet to be decided just which ones.

In her preview of today’s event, trainer Lisa Latta said Platinum Machine had to win today to keep her hopes alive of tackling the $300,000 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 13.

And the filly never looked in danger, in her first start over 1600 metres, ranging into contention 700 metres from home and drawing in pacemaker Beersheba 200 metres out.

But, while the Guineas is still on the menu, Neville McAlister, who races Platinum Machine with Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street, says there may be better options closer to home.

“We don’t think she’s just a wet tracker, and will run on good footing, but it’s a long way to go to Christchurch if we get a rock hard track.

“We’ll just keep an eye on the field. The Guineas normally drops away but if all the guns go, we’ll probably pull out. We can decide that a week out.”

McAlister says he’s leaning more to not going at the moment.

“We want to get as much black type as we can with her. If we go for the Group One, and get nothing, then we’ve probably got to go to the paddock.

Neville McAlister, right, John Street, and trainer Lisa Latta have decisions to make on Platinum Machine.“There are two weaker Group Three options we don’t really want to miss and that’s the Wellington Stakes and Eulogy Stakes.”

The $80,000 Wellington Stakes, for all three-year-olds, is run at Otaki on November 25 while the $80,000 Eulogy at Awapuni on December 11 is restricted to fillies.

McAlister says the patient route might be the best one considering Platinum Machine is bred to be an Oaks filly and stay so is six months away from showing her best anyway.

“She’s done it on sheer class so far over a shorter distance but once past a mile she should be away.”

By the High Chaparral stallion Free Eagle, she is out of a Pentire mare in Cruz By, and caught the eye of both McAlister and Latta at the Adelaide yearling sale.

“We first saw her when someone else had her out of her box (checking her out). She was very athletic and had a massive walk on her, the biggest walk of any horse we saw at the sale.

“She was lovely and black, and looked like a Savabeel, so we knew John would like her.

“And she was never going to be overly expensive as Free Eagle is not a sire they chase.”

At just A$32,000 Platinum Machine is already looking a bargain.

In today’s slow 9 conditions, despite being caught three wide early, rider Lisa Allpress didn’t panic and quickly looked to have things under control when she asked the filly to improve. Unwinding like a good one, her half length winning margin flattered the runner-up.