Atlantic Express had excuses for a midfield finish at Flemington on Saturday and he’s sure to win one soon for Victorian owner-breeder Glenn Whittenbury of Barree Pastoral.

Forced to race wide without cover in the Pat Hyland Plate (1400m), he raced up to the leaders at the top of the straight and boxed on to be beaten less than four lengths behind the favourite Sebring Dream.

Atlantic Express (Choisir) caught the eye at his penultimate start with a fast-closing fifth in the LR Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.  “He’s a nice horse we bred at Barree,” Whittenbury said.  “But we would have liked to have drawn a bit better on Saturday.”

The gelding is bred to go all the way to the top.  His dam Atlantic Gold (Encosta de Lago) is a full-sister to Titanic Jack (G1 VRC Emirates Stakes) and a half-sister to Sober Suit (G1 Toorak Hcp).

Whittenbury returned home last week after watching his rising star Debt Collector win the G1 Singapore Guineas at Kranji.  The gelding is prepared by Cliff Brown and the latest result followed his first stakes success in the G2 Singapore 3YO Classic.

Debt Collector (Thorn Park) was spotting the leaders more than six lengths well into the straight before launching one of the most stunning finishes ever seen at Kranji.

“I’ve ridden a lot of winners all over the world but that was one sensational win,” jockey Michael Rodd claimed after the Guineas.  “I had to keep chasing him early and then suddenly he started to track into the race.  His turn of foot was just out of this world.”

Debt Collector’s British bred dam Prompt Payment (In the Wings) won twice at Newmarket up to 2400m and she was also stakes placed at Haydock Park.  Brown bought him for Barree at the 2014 NZB 2YO Sale for $120,000.

BARREE CELEBRATION
Glenn Whittenbury is flanked by Micheal Rodd and Cliff Brown at Kranji