The influence of a speed sire is set to propel juvenile Romantic Touch to heights that two horses in his famous family couldn’t reach.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained youngster is early favourite to capture the final two-year-old Group One of the season, Saturday’s JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
A son of Northern Meteor, Romantic Touch is out of Dearness, a half-sister to Group One winners Desert War and Laser Hawk.
Both performed at Group One level over 1600 metres but neither was able to do it as a two-year-old.
“The family have been good milers, Desert War and Laser Hawk, so he is bred to do it,” said Waterhouse’s stable representative Mark Newnham.
“They couldn’t quite do it at two but being by Northern Meteor he is a bit more forward.”
Romantic Touch goes into Saturday’s feature with three weeks between runs, the most recent a thumping 7-1/2 length victory at Canterbury.
But a serious workout last weekend topped off his fitness levels for the Atkins.
“I went up and galloped him on the course proper at Doomben last Saturday morning and that was his main piece of work,” Newnham said.
“He worked very strongly for me.”
Early betting on the Atkins is dominated by Sydney’s biggest stables.
Chris Waller has the next two in betting, Zoustar ($4.60) and Vilanova ($6.50) who ran one-two in the BRC Sires’ Produce.
Waller has decided to run Zoustar after being lukewarm about an Atkins start.
He has spring aspirations for the colt and believes Zoustar only has to improve two lengths next campaign to be among the top echelon of his generation.
But the value of a possible Group One win won out.
“I can’t guarantee he is going to improve two lengths in the spring – I think he will – but when you’ve got a Group One that you’re one of the favourites for, and you’re a colt, it’s very important to run. That’s why he’s running,” Waller said.
Vilanova has finished second at both starts since joining the Waller stable from New Zealand and will relish the extra 250m of the Atkins.
“We identified him as being a good miler so he gets his chance on Saturday,” Waller said.
