They say there’s nothing like race experience for a youngster and in Athletica’s case co-trainer Adrian Bott hopes it’s an edge the colt can use to advantage in Saturday’s $400,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick.
It was a deliberate play by Bott and Gai Waterhouse to send the two-year-old to Newcastle two weeks ago for a 900m race, essentially his second barrier trial, and he delivered with an all the way win as a $1.40 chance.
Of the 15 Nursery acceptances, nine are unraced and Athletica is one of only two winners to date.
"He went up there with plenty of improvement but the main aim was to qualify for the race, to ensure if they did have plenty of nominations he'd go in with prizemoney,'' Bott said.
"It's a big advantage going into any two-year-old race with race experience.
"The fact he's going there a winner it's a big help."
Bott said looking back on Athletica's debut win it was the right move to try him under race conditions before tackling what can be a strong pre-Christmas juvenile race.
Previous winners include Extreme Choice, She Will Reign and Wild Ruler – all subsequently successful at Group 1 level - so it's possible that the race could unearth a talent.
"He's certainly above average, he's by Exceed And Excel so he's a natural two-year-old and he's got plenty of natural speed,'' Bott said.
"He's a really nice type, he floated around a bit late at Newcastle and showed his inexperience and that will help him improve significantly.
"He didn't quite know how to do things when he got in front by himself. All that can hopefully fall into place on the back of a confidence win."
Athletica, a $370,000 Easter yearling, was $6 second favourite with TAB on Wednesday and Tim Clark takes the ride.
For all her Randwick mile successes, Waterhouse has only won the Group 2 $750,000 The Agency Villiers Stakes (1600m) once – with outstanding mare Aqua D'Amore in 2005.
The stable's 2021 hopeful Grove Ferry has some work to do to reach that mare's level but Bott said the import is still a work in progress whose best will probably not be seen until next preparation.
The five-year-old comes back to the mile after finishing third in the Listed ATC Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on a heavy 10 a fortnight ago.
Bott said under the circumstances it wasn't a bad effort considering Clark had to make an early move to take up the running.
"He's still improving and learning the Australian way of racing,'' Bott said.
"He was a bit slow to begin and over raced at the back of the field so Tim whipped around and he got into a nice rhythm.
"That probably told late on him and left him vulnerable."
Prior to the ATC Cup, Grove Ferry ($26) carried 61kg when beaten 2.7 lengths by Steely over a mile at Kembla Grange, hitting the line from the back of the field, and drops 8kg for the Villers where Doncaster winning hoop James Innes Jnr rides.
"I think he's a strong miler, the tempo of a mile will suit him better than a 2000m race,'' Bott said.
The Villiers winner earns an exemption into the $3m Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of The Star Championships in April.
