Australian sprinter Atomic Force has overcome a slow start to win the Group One Railway Stakes at Ellerslie.
Nash Rawiller brought the favourite wide on the wet track and the horse knuckled down on his favoured wet track to beat The Hombre.
Darren Smith, who trains at Newcastle, said everything had gone to plan since Atomic Force arrived in New Zealand.
“Everything was 110 per cent with the horse,” Smith said.
“It couldn’t have worked out any better and I couldn’t be any prouder of the horse.”
Smith said he and the owners would wait a couple of days before deciding whether to attempt the second leg of New Zealand’s Group One summer sprint double, the Telegraph Handicap.
The decision to take Atomic Force across the Tasman came after the Hong Kong Jockey Club declined to issue an invitation to last month’s International Sprint at Sha Tin.
Earlier this year, Atomic Force won the Group One Galaxy (1100m) at Randwick.
AAP TURF