Atomic Force has drawn prime for this weekend’s Group 1 Telegraph Handicap in New Zealand, the Aussie gelding coming up with gate four.

It’s exactly what trainer Darren Smith had been praying for all week as he looks for back to back Group 1 victories across the ditch.

In even better news for Atomic Force main rival and seven time Group 1 winner Mufhasa came up with alley 16 and a 61kg top weight.

In fact Mufhasa may not even start in the race given the tough situation he faces.

For Dean Watt from the Dynamic Syndications ownership group things couldn’t have gone better.

“Very happy with that because there’s a few of them down on the minimum that don’t have a lot of gate speed,” he said.

“I see us settling two pairs back, three pairs back and get a nice easy run along to the furlong.”

He says Atomic Force is at least equal to how he was before his last start and turning over nicely.

“He’s as good if not better than when we went into the Railway,” he said.

“He galloped yesterday and it was just superb, very very happy with where we’re at with him.”

He says after the draw there’s no reason they shouldn’t be on top come Saturday.

“At this stage we’ve got no excuses with our horse leading into the race,” he said before acknowledging that the 59kg weight will be a test against a 52kg minimum.

As for the path after this it’ll be a certain spell with at least part of it to occur in New Zealand.

“We’ re going to give him 21 days off over in NZ before we make in decision with him,” he said.

Watt has categorically ruled out any sort of autumn program in Australia, instead leaning towards a Singapore tilt.

That would lead back into the Melbourne spring where he hopes to take advantage with the big guns like Black Caviar and Hay list expected to be overseas.

“We’d like to have a crack this year in the Patinack Classic on Derby Day,” he said.