Atlantis Dream Claims Stakes Win In Queen Of The South Stakes

Atlantis Dream finished over the top of Marianne to record a maiden win at Stakes level in the 2015 Queen Of The South Stakes at Morphettville this afternoon.

Atlantis Dream recorded a maiden win at stakes level in the 2015 Queen Of The South Stakes at Morphettville

Atlantis Dream recorded a maiden win at stakes level in the 2015 Queen Of The South Stakes at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes

Marianne started the 2015 Queen Of The South Stakes as a well-backed favourite and she was settled by jockey Hugh Bowman just behind the leader Japhils in the early stages of the race.

Bowman asked Marianne for an extra effort at the top of the straight and the talented mare hit the front at about the 250 metre mark, but she was a sitting duck in the final stages of the race and Atlantis Dream had too much speed for Let’s Make Adeal, who made a very impressive return to racing in second place.

Atlantis Dream was having her first race start at black-type level in the Queen Of The South Stakes following strong efforts in the Bendigo Gold Bracelet (1400m) on March 21 and the Ross Stevenson Trophy (1600m) at Flemington on April 11 and trainer Darren Weir said after the race that he was thrilled to have significantly increased the value of the Elusive City mare with the Group 2 victory.

“She has done a super job,” Weir said.

“She had a bit of an unfortunate start in the early days due to injury and she had a wind operation and all those sorts of things, but she was another one of John Foot’s good buys for $10,000 at the New Zealand sale.

“They are not easy to win, but she got the right run, she got clear running late and she attacked the line really well.

“The preparation has been targeted around this race and then maybe the 2000 metre listed race in a fortnight, so it was nice to get a result.

“I just need to give my Warrnambool staff a plug because she is one of the horses that is down there at the beach and Mark O’Donnell and his staff have done a terrific job with this mare.

“It is a great result for everyone involved. “

Atlantis Dream will likely remain in Adelaide for the Listed Centaurea Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville on May 16.

Let’s Make Adeal was returning to the races for the first time since she finished seventh in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 8 and hit the line strongly in the final stages of the race to finish second.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.